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BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD 


OF 


McLean  county. 


ILLINOIS. 


I  I^I^TLJSTTI^  J^^TTKED 


"■'A  people  that  take  tm  pride  in  the  noble  aehievements  of  remote  ancestors  zvill  never  achieve 
anything  worthy  to  be  remembered  ivith  pride  by  remote  generations.'' — Macaulay. 


CHICAGO: 

The  s.  J.  CLARKE  Publishing  Company. 

1899. 


'Biography  is  the  only  frue  Iiistory."-I:mer5on. 


rmoM  tus  pkbm  or  wilsom,  bduphrktb  a  co., 

rOUBTH  ST.,  LOOAMBPORT,  IKS. 


PRKFACK. 


HE  greatest  of  English  historians,  Macaulay,  and  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  writers  of  the  present  century,  has  said  :  "The  history  of  a 
country  is  best  told  in  a  record  of  the  lives  of  its  people."  In  con- 
formity with  this  idea,  the  Biographical  Record  has  been  prepared. 
Instead  of  going  to  musty  records,  and  taking  therefrom  dry  statistical 
matter  that  can  be  appreciated  by  but  few,  our  corps  of  writers  have 
gone  to  the  people,  the  men  and  women  who  have,  by  their  enterprise 
and  industry,  brought  this  county  to  a  rank  second  to  none  among 
those  comprising  this  great  and  noble  State,  and  from  their  lips  have  tiie  story  of  their  life 
struggles.  No  more  interesting  or  instructive  matter  could  be  presented  to  an  intelligent 
public.  In  this  volume  will  be  found  a  record  of  many  whose  lives  are  worthy  the  imitation 
of  coming  generations.  It  tells  how  some,  commencing  life  in  poverty,  by  industry  and 
economy  have  accumulated  wealth.  It  tells  how  others,  witii  limited  advantages  for  securing 
an  education,  have  become  learned  men  and  women,  with  an  influence  extending  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  It  tells  of  men  who  have  risen  from  the  lower  walks  of 
life  to  eminence  as  statesmen,  and  whose  names  have  become  famous.  It  tells  of  those  in 
every  walk  in  life  who  have  striven  to  succeed,  and  records  how  that  success  has  usuallv 
crowned  their  efforts.  It  tells  also  of  many,  very  many,  who,  not  seeking  the  applause  of  the 
world,  have  pursued  the  "  even  tenor  of  their  way,"  content  to  have  it  said  of  them,  as  Christ 
said  of  the  woman  performing  a  deed  of  mercy — "They  have  done  what  they  could."  It 
tells  how  many,  in  the  pride  and  strength  of  young  manhood,  left  the  plow  and  the  anvil,  the 
lawyer's  office  and  the  counting-room,  left  every  trade  and  profession,  and  at  their  country's 
call  went  forth  valiantly  "  to  do  or  die,"  and  how  through  their  efforts  the  Union  was 
restored  and  peace  once  more  reigned  in  the  land.  In  the  life  of  every  man  and  of  every 
woman  is  a  lesson  that  should  not  be  lost  upon  those  who  follow  after. 

Coming  generations  will  appreciate  this  volume  and  preserve  it  as  a  sacred  treasure,  from 
the  fact  that  it  contains  so  much  that  would  never  find  its  way  into  public  records,  and  which 
would  otherwise  be  inaccessible.  Great  care  has  been  taken  in  the  compilation  of  the  work, 
and  every  opportunity  possible  given  to  those  represented  to  insure  correctness  in  what  has 
been  \vritten  ;  and  the  publishers  flatter  themselves  that  they  give  to  their  readers  a  \vork  with 
few  errors  of  consequence.  In  addition  to  biographical  sketches,  portraits  of  a  number  of 
representative  citizens  are  given. 

The  faces  of  some,  and  biographical  sketches  of  many,  will  be  missed  in  this  volume. 
For  this  the  publishers  are  not  to  blame.  Not  having  a  proper  conception  of  the  \vork,  some 
refused  to  give  the  information  necessary  to  compile  a  sketch,  while  others  were  indifferent. 
Occasionally  some  member  of  the  family  would  oppose  the  enterprise,  and  on  account  of  such 
opposition  the  support  of  the  interested  one  would  be  withheld.  In  a  few  instances  men 
never  could  be  found,  though  repeated  calls  were  made  at  their  residence  or  place  of  business. 


August,  1899. 


The  S.  T-  Clarke  Publishing  Co. 


index: 


Adams,  James  \V ^^■)\ 

Alexander,  George  J 318 

Allen,  Charles 342 

Anderson,  John 5'21 

Anderson,  William  G 626 

Abrogast,  Enos 740 

Armbruster,  George 510 

Arnold,  George  W 582 

Arnold,  John  W 564 

Ashton,  h  rederick  T 28'J 

Augustine,  Captain  Henry....  107 

Bach,  William  R 181 

Baker,  Hiram 74 

Baker.  Luman  E 199 

Baker,  R.  H 723 

Baker,  Samuel  W 534 

ISaldridge,  H.Clarence 531 

Ballard,  Dr.  James  L 644 

Banks,  Marks 210 

Barclay,  Jesse  E 155 

Baremore,  John 324 

Barger,  Joseph  B   156 

Barker,  Addison  L 109 

Barnes,  Joshua 667 

Barnum,  Samuel  F 248 

Beaver,  William  H 240 

Bechtel,  James  W 616 

Beck,  John  A 128 

Beck,  Levi 632 

Beich,  Paul 130 

Bell,  Henry  L 380 

Bender,  George 365 

Benjamin,  Reuben  M 24 

Bishop,  Charles  E 197 

Bishop,  George 405 

Bishop,  Frank 793 

Bishop,  James 682 

Bliss,  Leonard  H 715 

Blough,  John  M 476 

Blum,  Frederick 383 

Bossinghani,  John  H 312 

Bowman,  George  W 234 

Bradner,  Mrs.  George 472 

Bradbury,  William  T 794 

Bright,  lohn  H 521 

Brock,  Elias 367 

Brokaw,  Abraham 619 

Brown,  George  W 71 

Buck,  John  T 666 

Buck,  Oliver  H 706 

Buffham,  George 512 

Burgess,  Rev.  Geogre  H 126 


Burke,  Byron  R 108 

Bush,  Samuel 213 

Butler,  Henry 776 

Butler,  James  P 139 

Buttolph,  William  W 157 

Byers,  Edward 747 

Capen,  Charles  1 483 

Capen,  Henry 150 

Capen,  Luman  W 477 

Capp,Theophilus  F 431 

Carlisle,  Thomas  C 171 

Carlock,  Winton 542 

Cartmell,  Zachariah  L 393 

Casey,  G.  Lewis 607 

Champion,  George 160 

Chism,  Merritt 557 

Claggott,  Bernard  J 346 

Clark,  Elijah  W   798 

Clark,  Harrison  H 345 

Cline,  William  H 827 

Conger,  Aaron  H 649 

Conklin,  Isaac 661 

Connery,  Morris 302 

Cook,  John  W 538 

Cooper,  H.F 791 

Corpe,  Edgar  S 601 

Covey,  Dr.  J.  E 275 

Cox,  James  H 455 

Creber,  John   727 

Creel,  John  H 829 

Crosby,  Russell  W 739 

Crothers,  Dr.  Eli  K 470 

Crumbaugh,  Daniel  T 366 

Crumbaugh,  James  H.  L 336 

Crumbaugh,  James  T 395 

Crumbaugh,  Leonard  A 348 

Cunningham,  William  E 758 

Daniel,  Joshua  C   416 

Darnall,  John  M    584 

Darrah,  Delmar  D 114 

Darst,  Isaac 258 

Davis,  Judge  David 9 

Decker,  Philip  J 622 

Denman,  Mathias  E 442 

Depew,  Loren  H 251 

Deutsch.  John 377 

Dillon,  Ellis 231 

Dimmett,  Samuel  H 539 

Dooley,  Charles  W 824 

Duff,  Andrew  M -  254 

Dunlap,  George  N 548 


Dunlap,  John 294 

Dunlap,  Oliver  W 71 

Dunmire,  Daniel 170 

Dunn,  William  A 774 

Dye,  Ross  P 709 

Easterbrook,  Joseph  M 781 

Eckhardt,  Frederick 247 

F^dwards,  Frank 344 

Edwards,  Richard 34 

Ehresman,  Joseph 634 

Ela,  George  P 486 

Elder,  Dr.  Horace  W 49 

Erickson.  Alexander  G 545 

Ewing,  Elmer  E 347 

Ewins,  Chester  R 509 

Ewins,  John  A 434 

Farnsworth,  Enos  Hale 576 

Ferre,  Lyman 172 

Fifer,  Joseph  W   22 

Fisher,  Dr.  Thompson  D 330 

Flegel,  Robert 311 

Foster.  George  J 457 

Foster,  John  M 45 

Fowler,  William  M 381 

F>ank,  Cyrus 636 

Frankeberger,  Francis   M....  289 

Freeman,  George  W 527 

Fry,  Simon 552 

Fulton,  Albert 357 

Gaffren,  Otto  W 607 

Gantz,  William  S 620 

Garee,  John 828 

Gastman,  George  W 440 

Geiger,  John  G 202 

Gerbrick,  Mark 331 

Giese,  Henry  F 604 

Goodheart,  James 320 

Graham,  Robert  O 755 

Gratz,  Peter 286 

Gray,  John  R 191 

Greene,  Lauton 752 

Green,  Milton  A 599 

Gregory,  Byron 253 

Gregory,  John 287 

Griffith,  Perry  R 532 

Grove,  Augustus 777 

Hagar,  Marshal  J 635 

Hall,  Rinaldo  M 73 

Hallam,  Dr.  William  L 550 


INDEX. 


I lallowell,  Robert  C 394 

HalsL-y,  AlexandiT 480 

Hamilton,  Arthur  C 778 

Hamilton,  C.  A 780 

Hanson,  Dr.  Owen  T 236 

Hanson.  Pleasant  M 838 

Haney,  Rev.  Milton  L 124 

Harber,  Benjamin  F 201 

Harber,  Edgar  I) 328 

Hardmg,  Oliver  S .    418 

Harms,  Hilvvert  W (iG2 

Harness,  Milton 189 

Harris,  Ur.  H.  L 797 

Hartley,  Fred 524 

Harwood,  James  \V 447 

Harwood,  Thomas  F 200 

Hasenwmkle,  William 730 

Hawthorn,  John (i.Dii 

Hayden,  John   R 479 

Hayes,  John  W 87 

Haynes,  John 90 

Hedge,  Horace  0 059 

Henclerson,  John  T 146 

Hendryx,  Lewis  C 362 

Henline,   .Milton 263 

Hersey,  Lynn  E 127 

Hester,  John 569 

Hewett,  Edwin  C 64 

Hickey,  Capt.  John 384 

Hilts,  Samuel  R 214 

Hufmann,  Albert  A 299 

Hollis,  Allen   R 387 

Horn,  Dr.  \V.  L 808 

Horr,  Elijah 222 

Hougham,  J.  A 829 

Houser,  liarrison 561 

Howard,  Ansel  I) 698 

■  Howard,  William   H   401 

Howe,  Dr.  Bliss  S 424 

Hubbard.  Dr.  -Silas 8U9 

Hunter,  William  D 339 

Hurley,  David 745 

Ingram,  Joseph 670 

Irish,  Thomas  U.- 801 

Jackson,  Henry  L 763 

Jacobs,  Christian 775 

Jeffries,  John 571 

Johnson,  Francis  A 631 

John,son,  Henry  15   820 

Johnson,  Robert  R 303 

Johnston,  James 786 

Jones,  Francis  M 218 

iones,  Lattie  G 307 
ones,  William  N 615 

Karr,  Henry  A 488 

Karr,  I'hilip  A 62 

Kaufman,  Joseph  D 207 

Kelley,  Abram .'J46 

Kelso,  Dr.  George  B 47 

Kepner,  Jerome  T 560 

Kerbaugh,  ."Andrew  J 266 

Kerrick,  Nimrod 41 

Kilgore,  Thomas  B 229 

Kinsella,  Edward 358 

Kinsey,  Samuel  B 704 


Kirkpatrick,  Jonathan  H 641 

Kirkpatrick,  .Samuel  C 147 

Koch,  Christian  F 43 

Kraft,  Daniel  W 815 

Kreiger,  Henry 559 

Kuhn,  Bert   M 267 

Kuhn,  Jacob  A 271 

Lackland,  Melvin  P 492 

Lain,  William  S 640 

Lake,  Charles  H   233 

Landis,  Elias 392 

Langstaff,  Dr.  H.  W 613 

Lawrence,  Alexander  D 699 

Lawrence,  Capt.  Harrison...  419 

Leaf,  William 145 

Leech,  Robert  K 216 

Lenney,  John  B 252 

Lennon,  John  B 104 

Lewis,  George  H 167 

Ling,  Louis  E 69 

Little,  Dr.  Jehu   120 

Loar,  Dr.  James  J 711 

Loar,  James  L 115 

Loehr,  Miss  Susan 208 

Longworth,  David  N 679 

Loudon,  Robert 192 

Lucas,  Benjamin  L 684 

McComb,  George  H 467 

McConnell,  John 325 

McCormick,  Marion 688 

McElwain.  Charles  J 515 

McFarland,  Daniel 505 

McFarland,  Dr.  David  H  . . . .    438 

McKay,  Rev.  Stanley  A 98 

McRevnolds,  Edward 361 

Macy,'VVilliam  H 414 

Maddux,  William 255 

Marker,  George  E 495 

Marsh,  John 765 

Martens,  Charles 690 

Martin,  James  T 422 

Martin,  Willet  L 340 

Matern,  Louis 4.54 

Matheny,  Charles  W 744 

Matthews,  David  M 761 

Mceth,  lacob 462 

Mek-her,  .•\sa 137 

Merchant,  Ira 590 

Merritt,  E.  M 796 

Merwin,  Washington  I 436 

Messer,  Isaac 484 

Minler,  Williamson  P 668 

Mitchell,  Isaac  J 149 

Mittan,  Dr.  Frank  J 588 

Moats,  Francis  M 296 

Model,  Alexander 293 

Montgomery,  Rev.  Joseph. . . .   169 

Mooney,  John 245 

Moore,  Asa  H 100 

Morris,  Charles  H 672 

Morrison,  Frank 209 

Moots,  Charles  E 215 

Muhl,  Frederick  C '6.55 

Myers,  Colostin  D '724 

Myers,  Henry  C 410 

Myers,  Jacob  W 621 


Nafziger,  Albert  N 398 

Nafziger,  Christian  F 412 

Nafziger,  Fred  A 404 

Nagel,  John 343 

Neill,  Capt.  Hugh 653 

Neville,  James  S 587 

Nickerson,  William  D 572 

Noble,  Seth  S 133 

Norris,  John  H 86 

O'Kane,  Daniel  G 751 

Ogden,  Albert 397 

Ogg,  Howard . .  811 

Olsen,  Peter  E 547 

Ongley,  Fred  W 469 

Otto,  Daniel  J   51 

Otto,  Daniel  S 159 

Otto,  IE 807 

Otto,  John 671 

Parke,  Dr.  Charles  R . .  . 54 

Parkhurst,  Dr.  Harvey...' 449 

Parr,  Marion 568 

Patterson,  William  H 68 

Patton,  Edward 802 

Paul,   William ^..,:,....  ,707 

PauUin,  Thomas  it -.,..•.•  799 

Peaslev,  Rev.  Sylvester 182 

Peirce  Charles  M....> 4.58 

Pendergast,  fohn 651 

Peterson,  William  A 273 

Phoenix,  Fred  S 784 

Pickering,  John   L 602 

Pierson,  Arthur  V 385 

Pierson,  James  S.. ,. . .  428 

Pitts,  John  Joseph 563 

Pitts,  Joseph  A 624 

Place,  Jason  T 606 

Platt,  Jesse 496 

Plumley,  David  K 301 

Popple,  John  S 475 

Potts,  Herbert  A 460 

Pray,  Mrs.  Emily 309 

Price,  Charles  A 718 

Priest,  George  W 514 

Pumpelly,  Thomas  B 683 

Read,  Gordon  H 498 

Rees,  Samuel 295 

Reeves,  Henry  G 212 

Reeves,  William 710 

Rhodecap,  Philip  W 522 

Rhodes,  Aaron  P 97 

Rhodes,  John  H.  S 363 

Rhodes,  William  J   359 

Richardson,  Matthew 423 

Rigby,  Mrs.  Delia  H 804 

Riggs,  William  H 728 

Rinehart,  Isaac  N 792 

Risser,  John  P 520 

Robb,  Hugh 541 

Robb,   Matthew 694 

Rockhold,  John 335 

Rodman,  Arthur 20 

Rose,  J.  Nelson 669 

Ross,  George  A 461 

Ross,  William  H.  H 717 

Roth,  Christian 720 


INDEX. 


Rowley,  Edmund  J 313 

Russell,  Cyrenus 825 

Russell,  Rolland  A 577 

Rust,  Lee 388 

Rutledge,  Leander 427 

Rutledge,  Owen  C 461 

Ryburn,  Edward 406 

Sample,  Alfred 567 

Sanders,  James  T 178 

Schneider,  Mrs.  Catherine....  400 

Schneider,  John  A 50 

Schroeder,  Dr.  Herman 596 

Scogin,  lohn  N 308 

Scott,  John  L 510 

Scott,  John  W 702 

Scott,  William 734 

Scrimger,  Rev.  GeorE;e  E 110 

Sellers,  George  M . . ." 332 

Shaver,  Morton  V 220 

Sholtey,  Levi  W 585 

Sholty,  Jacob 85 

Skaggs,  Louis  E 525 

Skinner,  Asa  \V 748 

Skinner,  Oliver  R 117 

Smith,  Charles  E 642 

Smith,  James 374 

Smith,  John  A 681 

Smith,  Stephen  M  , 821 

Smith,  Theodore  S 570 

Snell,  James  T 735 

Spence,  John  H 19 

Spencer,  Jonathan 2.50 

Spreen,  William  F 88 

Stanger,  David  W 89 

Stansbury,  Mrs.  Eliza 712 

Stapleton,  John 452 


Stauffer,  Tobias  S 674 

Stephens,  Abraham 579 

Stephens,  James  A 637 

Stiles,  John 812 

Stine,  Hugh  D 18 

Stine,  James  M 17 

Stipp,  John  M 813 

Stringfield,  George  A 95 

Stubbleheld,  C.  Wesley 566 

Stubblefield,  David  R 1.35 

Stubblefield,  Edward 719 

Stubblefield,  George  W 187 

Stubblefield,  Lafayette 292 

Stuckey,  Joseph 226 

Stump,  AlexanderE 665 

Swayne,  Henry  S 140 

Swinehart,  George 686 

Tavenner,  James  W 168 

Thomson,  Charles  E   664 

Thompson,  Joseph  J 154 

Thompson,  William .581 

Tipton,  Thomas  F 816 

Townsend,  Joseph 754 

Trimmer,  Scott 523 

Tuthill,  Dr.  John  A 327 

Vance,  James 379 

Vance,  John  W 489 

Vance,  Peter  H 465 

Vasey,  Lucius  A 421 

Vaughan,  Hugh 4.30 

Vincent,  James  M 691 

Vreeland,  John  H 737 

Wahl,  Jacob 491 

Wakefield,  John  F 516 

Wallberg,  Lewis  P .533 


Warlow,  Jonathan  B 269 

Waters,  Charlton  D 411 

Waybright,  Adam 276 

Weakley,  Joseph  M 318 

Weeks,  Thomas 625 

Welch,  Alfred  J 238 

Welch,  James  A 618 

Welch,  William .595 

West,  Simeon  H 766 

Wheatley,  George  W 448 

White,  Albert  K 246 

White,  George  W 742 

White,  HarleyJ 652 

White,  Ora  E 85 

White,  Samuel  R 58 

White,  William  R 278 

Whitmer,  Peter 608 

Wiles,  William 18 

Wiley,  William 819 

Wiley,  Rev.  William  R 129 

Willerton,  Samuel  B   3.56 

Willhite,  Theodore  S 826 

Williams,  Martin 639 

Wilson  Edward 176 

Wilson,  Isaac 701 

Wilson,  Thomas 783 

Wmn,  Henry 803 

Wintz,  Peter 368 

Wolfe,  Augustus  G 265 

Wright,  Dr.  Samuel 225 

Wright,  William  H 603 

Wyckoff,  Jacob 760 

Young,  J.  William 722 

Young  William 402 

Zeiters,  Elmer  J 119 

Zook,  Adam .314 


,^ 


THE   NL.7   \u;.K 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOB.  LENOJL 


DAVID  DAVIS. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


JUDGE  DAVID  DAVIS  was  born  on 
the  9th  day  of  March,  1815,  in  Cecil 
county,  Maryland.  His  family  was  of 
Welsh  origin,  but  had  been  settled  in  that 
county  more  than  a  century,  and  had  ac- 
quired in  every  particular  the  distinctive 
features  of  American  nationality.  He  was 
unfortunate  in  the  loss  of  his  father  at  an 
early  age;  but  the  kindness  of  an  uncle  in 
many  ways  atoned  in  some  measure  for  his 
early  privation.  His  father  left  sufficient 
estate,  not  only  to  educate  him  in  classical 
acquirements,  but  enough  to  enable  him  to 
live  beyond  the  apprehension  of  want,  dur- 
ing the  years  of  unproductive  life,  in  the 
early  career  of  manhood.  This  patrimony 
was,  through  the  dishonesty  and  negligence 
of  his  guardian,  lost  to  him.  Having  at- 
tended the  local  schools  of  Maryland,  at  the 
age  of  thirteen  he  was  entered  a  student  at 
Kenyon  College,  Ohio,  from  which  he  grad- 
uated at  the  age  of  seventeen.  Although 
he  had  no  special  talent  for  public  speaking, 
his  taste  and  inclination  directed  his  atten- 
tion to  the  bar  as  the  business  of  life.  As 
has  been  said,  he  had  sufficient  means  to 
enable  him  to  acquire  an  education  and  pro- 
fession. He  was  not  borne  down  by  the 
privations  of  poverty,  nor  was  he  enervated 
by  the  e.xpectation  of  hereditary  riches. 
The  lines  had  fallen  to  him  in  the  golden 
mean,    between    want    and    wealth.      After 


leaving  college,  he  went  to  Lenox,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  read  law  in  the  office  of  Judge 
Henry  W.  Bishop,  then  one  of  the  leading 
lawyers  of  Massachusetts.  After  remaining 
in  the  law  office  of  Judge  Bishop  about  two 
years,  he  attended  the  New  Haven  Law 
School  for  one  year.  With  a  good  classical 
education,  a  course  of  reading  in  the  office 
of  Judge  Bishop,  and  a  term  at  New  Haven, 
he  was  fully  prepared  to  enter  upon  the 
responsible  and  arduous  duties  of  a  practic- 
ing lawyer.  His  residence  in  Ohio,  and 
other  information,  impressed  on  his  mind 
the  magnitude  of  the  resources  of  the  Miss- 
issippi Valley,  especially  the  northwest;  and 
on  being  admitted  to  the  bar  he  emigrated, 
in  the  year  1835,  to  Illinois.  It  has  been 
said,  "At  the  time  he  sought  his  home  in 
the  west  as  a  very  young  man,  he  traversed 
the  breadth  of  nearly  five  states  then  in 
comparative  infancy,  that  he  might  grow 
with  the  growth,  and  strengthen  with  the 
strength  of  that  commonwealth,  which  has 
so  honored  him  by  its  confidence,  and  whose 
history  his  name  has  enriched  in  the  ex- 
ample of  a  great  character."  He  first 
located  at  Pekin,  but  after  a  short  time,  in 
1836,  he  removed  to  Bloomington,  which 
for  a  period  of  fifty  years  was  his  home. 

In  1838  he  WES  married  to  Miss  Sarah 
W.  Walker,  daughter  of  Judge  William  P. 
Walker,  of  Lenox,  Massachusetts.      She  wa 


lO 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


well  worthy  to  be  the  wife  of  Judge  Davis, 
and  shared  with  him  the  privations  of  his 
early  struggles,  and  the  properity  of  his  la- 
ter triumphs,  with  all  the  grace  and  dignity 
that  is  born  of  the  beauty  of  goodness.  The 
Judge,  on  coming  to  the  years  of  responsible 
life,  followed  the  hereditary  tendency  of  his 
family  in  politics,  and  became  an  ardent 
Whig.  He  had  a  great  admiration  for  Mr. 
Clay,  which  amounted  to  an  enthusiasm. 
In  1840  he  was  the  Whig  candidate  in  the 
Bloomington  district  for  state  senator,  but 
the  majority  being  largely  against  his  party, 
he  was  defeated  by  Governor  John  Moore, 
then  and  for  many  years  after  one  of  the 
popular  Democrats  of  the  state.  While  the 
Judge  was  active  in  politics,  he  did  not  per- 
mit his  party  to  interfere  with  his  practice. 
He  was  most  diligent  in  and  devoted  to  his 
profession.  Shortly  after  his  coming  to  the 
bar,  he  was  offered  the  position  of  clerk  of 
the  court,  in  which  office  he  could  make 
four  times  his  income  from  his  practice;  but 
he  declined,  having  no  doubt  the  inspiration 
of  that  hope,  which,  in  the  end  of  his  ca- 
reer, placed  him  among  the  most  distin- 
guished jurists  of  the  United  States.  Dan- 
iel Webster  had  the  same  experience  with  a 
clerkship  in  the  commencement  of  his  ca- 
reer as  a  lawyer,  and  disposed  of  it  in  the 
same  way — much  to  the  disgust  and  disa- 
pointment  of  his  father.  In  1844  Judge 
Davis  was  elected  to  the  lower  house  of 
the  Illinois  legislature,  and  distinguished 
himself  by  the  clearness  and  accuracy  of  his 
views  of  the  law,  and  his  great  capacity  of 
labor  in  the  committee  room.  He  declined 
a  re-nomination.  Although  pronounced  in 
his  political  opinions,  he  was  not  a  politi- 
cian; he  delighted  in  the  practice  of  law, 
and  the  acquirement  of  that  information 
which  would   enable  him   to  discharge  the 


higher  functions  of  judge.  During  the  time 
of  his  practice,  the  bar  of  central  Illinois 
was  very  able,  and  afterwards  became  most 
dirtinguished.  Among  the  prominent  were 
Mr.  Lincoln,  Judge  Logan,  Judge  Douglas, 
Colonel  Baker — one  of  the  most  brilliant 
orators  of  his  day — Judge  Trumbull,  Major 
Stuart,  Mr.  Browning  and  Colonel  Hardin. 
It  would  be  untrue,  and  therefore  un- 
just to  the  memory  of  Judge  Davis,  to  rank 
him  with  some  of  those  names  as  a  practic- 
ing lawyer.  He  always  disclaimed  the  com- 
parison, and  an  honest  chronicler  should 
disclaim  it  for  him.  The  profession  of  law 
had  to  him  a  wider  range  than  the  ambition 
of  the  barrister.  Nature  had  made  him  a 
judge  by  the  same  mysterious  economy  that 
it  had  made  others  advocates,  and  while  he 
was  not  to  wear  the  glory  of  the  gown,  he 
was  to  be  graced  by  the  beauty  of  the 
ermine.  While  at  the  bar  he  had  a  judicial 
cast  ot  mind,  and  his  career  as  a  lawyer 
marks  the  high  mission  and  duty  of  the  truly 
professional  in  the  economy  of  society.  In 
1847  he  was  elected  to  the  constitutional 
convention  which  framed  the  constitution  of 
1848,  and  he  bore  a  very  important  part, 
especially  in  work  providing  for  and  estab- 
lishing the  judicial  department.  During  his 
public  life  as  a  legislator  he  has  been  con- 
spicuous in  his  efforts  to  remodel  and  im- 
prove the  judicial  machinery  of  both  the  state 
and  national  governments.  The  present 
system  of  federal  appellate  jurisdiction  is 
modeled  on  the  plan  proposed  by  him  when 
a  member  of  the  senate  of  the  United 
States,  and  which  passed  that  body  with 
marked  unanimity.  At  the  time  of  the 
adoption  of  the  constitution  of  1848  he  had 
been  at  the  bar  about  twelve  years,  and 
during  that  time  had  most  diligently  given 
his   attention  to  the   practice,  and   had  im- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


II 


pressed  upon  the  mind  of  the  bar  and  the 
people  of  central  Illinois  the  fact  that  he 
was  most  eminently  qualified  for  the  bench. 
At  the  first  election  of  judge,  without  oppo- 
sition he  was  elected  in  a  circuit  composed 
of  fourteen  counties,  embracing  McLean 
and  Sangamon.  At  the  time  he  became 
identified  with  the  bar  of  Illinois,  in  1836, 
Mr.  Lincoln  was  struggling  in  the  com- 
mencement of  that  career  which  not  only 
made  him  conspicuous  in  the  ranks  of  the 
profession,  but  marked  him  as  one  of  the 
greatest  men  of  history.  Between  him  and 
Judge  Davis,  from  their  first  acquaintance 
to  the  close  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  life,  a  most 
cordial  intimacy  existed.  In  the  exercise  of 
that  unerring  judgment  which  enabled  the 
Judge  to  pass  upon  the  qualities  of  men,  he 
discerned  in  Mr.  Lincoln  intellectual  and 
moral  attributes  of  the  highest  order. 

After  Mr.  Davis  became  judge,  Mr.  Lin- 
coln continued  to  travel  the  circuit,  attend- 
ing court  in  all  counties  in  the  circuit,  con- 
tributing by  his  learning  and  ability  to  the 
administration  of  justice,  and  to  the  social 
enjoyment  of  life  by  a  humor  unsurpassed  in 
the  richness  of  its  merriment.  In  1848  the 
soil  of  the  circuit  had  not  been  broken  by  the 
survey  of  a  railroad,  and  his  duties  as  judge 
required  him  to  hold  two  sessions  of  the 
court  in  each  year,  in  fourteen  of  the  largest 
counties  of  the  state.  The  clearness  and 
quickness  of  his  intellect,  his  preparatory 
education,  both  literary  and  professional, 
and  his  practice,  had  fully  capacitated  him 
to  discharge  with  promptness  the  various 
and  laborious  duties  of  his  position.  In 
some  of  the  qualities  of  a  judge  he  has  but 
few  superiors  in  the  long  line  of  judicial 
ability  with  which  our  history  as  a  people 
has  been  graced.  The  important  duty  of  a 
judge  is  not  all  performed  in  the  statement 


and  application  of  the  just  principles  of  the 
law;  these  can  be  gathered,  in  a  majority  of 
cases,  from  vast  storehouses  of  jurispru- 
dence, to  which  in  England  and  America, 
the  eminent  judges  and  lawyers  have  con- 
tributed; but  to  ascertain  the  truth,  to  elimi- 
nate error,  and  to  adjust  the  rights  of 
parties,  on  the  facts  as  they  really  exist,  is 
the  exercise  of  a  faculty  that  cannot  be  di- 
rected by  adjudged  cases.  The  preservation 
of  estates  and  the  protection  of  infants 
against  the  incompetency  or  dishonesty  of 
guardians,  and  the  rapacity  of  unscrupulous 
speculators,  marked  one  of  his  traits  as  a 
circuit  judge.  His  faithfulness  in  behalf  of 
the  trust  estate  of  wards  may  have  been 
strengthened  by  his  own  experience,  the 
estate  inherited  from  his  father  having  been 
squandered  by  an  unscrupulous  and  irrespon- 
sible guardian.  He  had  great  faith  in  the 
ultimate  value  of  Illinois  land,  and  it  re- 
quired a  very  urgent  necessity  to  justify  the 
sale  of  an  infant's  real  estate.  His  admin- 
istration of  the  law  in  the  circuit  court  was 
most  eminently  satisfactory  to  the  people 
and  the  bar.  But  few  appeals  were  taken 
from  his  decisions,  and  his  dispatch  of  the 
public  business  was  a  marvel  of  efficiency 
and  industry.  He  was  a  natural  born  judge, 
and  while  he  was  not  tyrannical,  he  forcibly 
exercised  power  to  accomplish  the  ends  of 
justice.  After  his  election  as  judge  in  1848, 
he  ceased  any  active  agency  in  politics,  but 
continued  his  adhesion  to  the  Whig  party 
until  its  disruption  after  the  disastrous  cam- 
paign of  1852.  Although  anti-slavery  in  his 
thoughts  and  feeling,  he  disliked  the  radical 
tendency  of  the  Abolitionists.  In  the  cam- 
paign of  1858  he  took  a  great  interest,  being 
opposed  to  repeal  of  the  Missouri  con\pro- 
mise,  and  a  devoted  friend  of  Mr.  Lincoln. 
Mr.  Lincoln   and  Judge  Douglas  had  been 


12 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


the  great  champions  of  the  Whig  and  Demo- 
cratic parties,  and  aside  from  Judge  Davis' 
persona!  attachment  to  Mr.  Lincoln,  he  was 
interested  in  him  as  the  great  leader  of  the 
opposition  to  the  Democratic  party.  Mr. 
Lincoln,  though  defeated  for  Senator,  laid 
the  foundation  in  1858  for  his  election  to  the 
Presidency.  Upon  his  great  success  in  the 
joint  debate  in  1858,  Judge  Davis,  in  com- 
mon with  the  rest  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  personal 
friends  in  Illinois,  enlarged  the  boundaries 
of  his  ambition,  and  from  that  time  he  was 
an  avowed  candidate  for  the  Presidency. 
In  that  candidacy  Judge  Davis  took  a  lively 
interest,  and  bore  a  most  distinguished  part. 
He  thought  that  the  aspirations  of  his  most 
intimate  friend  for  the  highest  office  in  the 
land  justified  his  participation  in  politics. 
The  National  Convention  of  the  Republicans 
met  in  Chicago  on  the  i6th  day  of  May, 
i860,  and  to  that  convention  he  was  one  of 
the  delegates-at-large.  He  was  so  much 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  Mr.  Lincoln  that 
he  could  not  absent  himself  from  the  con- 
vention, and  besides,  it  was  Mr.  Lincoln's 
personal  desire  that  he  should  attend. 

This  was  the  first  great  convention  held 
by  the  Republican  party,  and  had  before  it 
as  candidates  the  most  distinguished  states- 
men of  that  party  and  of  its  delegates,  the 
ablest  members  and  the  most  accomplished 
politicians.  Judge  Davis,  from  the  com- 
mencement to  the  close,  was  recognized  as 
the  leader  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  forces,  and 
without  his  agency  in  that  convention  it 
may  be  doubted  whether  he  would  have  re- 
ceived the  nomination.  In  his  adhesion  to 
Mr.  Lincoln  he  was  not  actuated  by  his 
personal  friendship,  but  by  an  abiding  faith 
in  the  ability  and  integrity  of  the  man. 
While  he  had  no  apprehension  that  the 
election  of  a  Republican  as  President  would 


involve  the  country  in  war,  he  thought  that 
the  grave  responsibility  that  would  fall  upon 
the  choice  of  that  party  would  require 
ability  of  the  highest  order  and  patriotism 
of  the  most  heroic  mold.  He  took  a  great 
interest  in  the  campaign  which  followed  the 
nomination,  but  did  not  participate  in  it  as 
an  active  politician.  He  continued  to  hold 
the  Circuit  Court  uninterruptedly  until  the 
autumn  of  1862. 

During  the  first  year  of  the  war  the  De- 
partment of  Missouri,  through  the  inefficient 
administration  of  the  quartermaster,  became 
a  chaos  of  confusion,  with  millions  of 
money  contracted  and  claimed,  with  honest 
demands  delayed  and  dishonest  claims 
pressed  for  payment.  The  President,  to 
relieve  the  embarrassment  of  the  situation, 
appointed  a  commission  consisting  of  Judge 
Davis,  General  Holt  and  Mr.  Campbell,  of 
St.  Louis,  to  investigate  and  pass  judgment 
upon  the  rights  of  the  parties.  It  was  an 
immense  work  of  investigation,  and  required 
the  highest  grade  of  talent  to  bring  order 
and  justice  out  of  the  confusion.  The 
three  men  as  a  combination  had  the  best 
quality  of  ability  for  the  task — Judge  Davis 
and  General  Holt  being  eminent  lawyers, 
and  Mr.  Campbell  being  one  of  the  most 
experienced  merchants  of  St.  Louis.  The 
findings  and  reports  of  that  commission 
have  been  quoted  by  the  highest  courts  of 
the  land,  and  the  result  accomplished  by  it 
is  an  enduring  compliment  to  the  integrity 
and  capacity  of  the  men  who  composed  it. 
During  the  fourteen  years  in  which  Judge 
Davis  presided  in  the  Circuit  Court  of 
Illinois  the  popular  estimate  which  the  bar 
and  the  people  had  made  of  his  ability  to  per- 
form the  duties  was  justified  beyond  the  most 
sanguine  expectations  of  his  friends,  so  that 
when  a  vacancy  occurred  in   the  Supreme 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


13 


Court  of  the  United  States  in  tiie  Circuit 
including  the  State  of  Illinois,  he  was  recog- 
nized by  the  bar  as  the  person  to  be  ap- 
pointed to  that  responsible  position.  The 
President  had  an  acquaintance  with  all  the 
prominent  lawyers  of  the  circuit,  and  had 
the  most  intimate  knowledge  of  the  ability 
of  Judge  Davis,  and  into  his  hands,  by  the 
Constitution,  was  committed  the  power  and 
duty  of  selecting  from  those  lawyers  a  fit 
justice  for  the  most  important  court  ever 
instituted  by  man.  In  the  quality  of  Wash- 
ington, which  in  the  selection  of  a  public 
officer  arose  superior  to  the  obligation  of 
personal  friendship,  President  Lincoln,  as 
shown  by  his  administration,  was  not  defi- 
cient; and  it  must  be  presumed  that  in  the 
selection  of  Judge  Davis  the  public  had  a 
just  regard  for  the  e.xigencies  of  the  condi- 
tion of  the  country  which  prompted  his 
selection  as  one  of  the  justices  of  the  United 
States  Supreme  Court.  After  a  service  of 
fourteen  years  on  the  circuit  bench  of 
Illinois  he  was,  in  November,  1862,  trans- 
ferred to  the  higher  jurisdiction  of  the 
national  judiciary.  He  had  not  been  accus- 
tomed to  the  accuracy  of  judicial  thought 
required  in  the  preparation  of  written 
opinions,  but  had  most  thoroughly  investi- 
gated and  studied  the  law  in  all  the  leading 
features  of  its  administratton.  At  the  time 
he  became  a  member  of  the  Supreme  Court 
it  was  composed  of  some  of  the  ablest 
judges  of  its  entire  history.  The  promo- 
tion was  well  calculated  to  embarrass  him 
with  grave  apprehensions  of  his  success,  for 
while  he  was  brave  and  fearless  when  bold- 
ness was  a  virtue,  he  had  a  modest  appre- 
ciation of  his  own  ability.  His  opfnions, 
when  deliberately  formed,  though  firm, 
while  in  the  process  of  development,  were 
susceptible    to  every   legitimate  and  logical 


influence.  At  the  time  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Supreme  Court  many  questions 
of  importance  were  pending — questions  not 
of  property,  not  of  individual  reputation — 
but  great  questions  of  international  and 
public  law,  questions  of  civil  liberty,  not  in 
the  interpretation  of  statutes,  but  in  the 
construction  of  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States.  He  was  eminently  conserv- 
ative in  the  tendency  of  his  mind  and  judg- 
ment; and  while  he  did  not  coincide  with 
many  of  the  theories  of  constitutional  con- 
struction in  favor  of  a  strong  government, 
he  believed  in  the  sovereignty  of  the  Federal 
power,  in  the  passage  and  execution  of  such 
laws  as  it  might  determine  were  within  the 
purview  of  the  Constitution,  He  believed 
in  that  theory  of  the  Constitution  which 
recognized  the  Union,  not  as  a  mere  compact 
between  the  States,  but  as  a  government 
formed  upon  the  adoption  of  the  people, 
and  creating  direct  relations  between  itself 
and  the  citizen.  In  the  discharge  of  his 
new  duty  as  a  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court 
he  soon  impressed  his  brethren  of  the  bench 
with  his  superior  judicial  qualifications,  and 
he  wrote  but  few  opinions  until  the  Ameri- 
can bar  was  satisfied  that  the  President 
made  no  mistake  in  his  selection  of  a  judge. 
The  period  of  the  war  was  remarkably 
prolific  in  forcing  upon  the  consideration  ot 
all  the  departments  of  the  Government  new 
issues  of  legal  inquiry.  The  financial  policy 
of  the  Government,  the  belligerent  rights  of 
enemies,  questions  of  personal  liberty,  mil- 
itary commissions,  questions  of  prize — in 
fact  all  the  interests  of  fifty  millions  of  peo- 
ple, both  of  peace  and  war,  were  the  sub- 
ject matter  of  jurisdictions  from  1862  to 
1877.  One  of  the  most  important  cases  of 
the  period  was  assigned  to  him — a  case 
which  excited    great    public    interest    and 


14 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


provoked  much  popular  discussion.  The 
matter  at  issue,  being  a  question  of  indi- 
vidual liberty,  and  the  power  of  the  Gov- 
ernment in  time  of  war,  made  it  one  of 
the  great  historical  cases,  ranking  in  impor- 
tance with  Marbury  vs.  Madison,  and  the 
Dartmouth  College  case.  It  is  the  case  of 
ex  parte  Milligan,  and  an  examination  of  it 
will  justify  the  resolution  of  the  McLean 
county  bar  "That  we  do  most  especiallj' 
appreciate,  as  fine  specimens  of  judicial 
statement,  his  opinions  which  embrace  a 
discussion  of  the  genius  and  mold  of  the 
American  government,  and  recognize  those 
opinions  as  worthy  of  a  place  among  the 
great  judicial  interpretations  of  the  Ameri- 
can Constitution."  The  leading  thoughts  of 
the  decision  are:  "  The  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  is  a  law  for  rulers  and  people 
equally  in  war  and  in  peace,  and  covers 
with  the  shield  of  its  protection  all  classes 
of  men,  and  at  all  times,  and  under  all  cir- 
cumstances. The  government,  within  the 
constitution,  has  all  the  powers  granted  to 
it,  which  are  necessary  to  preserve  its  exist- 
ance,  as  has  been  happily  proved  by  the  re- 
sult of  the  great  effort  to  overthrow  it."  It 
will  be  seen  by  an  examination  of  the  re- 
ports containing  his  opinions,  that  he  fear- 
lessly followed  the  dictates  of  an  honest 
judgment,  regardless  of  what  might  be  the 
prejudice  or  passion  of  the  hour,  and  wheth- 
er his  reason  was  on  one  side  or  the  other 
of  the  line  of  popular  clamor,  he  followed 
the  logic  of  his  convictions. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  many  cases 
came  before  the  Supreme  Court  involving 
the  constitutionality  of  the  legal  tender 
acts.  In  the  case  of  Hepburn  vs.  Griszuold, 
a  majority  of  the  Court  held  that  "  There 
is  in  the  constitution  no  express  grant  of 
legislative  power  to  make   any   description 


of  credit  currency  a  legal  tender  in  payment 
of  debt."  The  effect  of  this  decision  was  to 
invalidate  by  judicial  judgment  one  of  the 
most  important  acts  of  the  Government  in 
the  prosecution  of  the  war,  and  to  disturb 
the  business  of  the  country,  by  making 
nothing  but  coin  applicable  to  the  payment 
of  debts  contracted  before  the  passage  of 
the  acts  of  Congress  providing  for  the 
issue  of  Treasury  notes.  To  that  de- 
cision Judge  Davis,  with  Judges  Swayne 
and  Miller  dissented.  In  a  short  time, 
after  the  promulgation  of  this  decision, 
other  cases  reached  the  Supreme  Court  in- 
volving the  same  question,  and  in  what  is 
known  as  the  "legal  tender  cases"  the 
Court  reversed  the  decision  of  Hepburn  vs. 
Griswold,  by  holding,  "  The  acts  of  Con- 
gress known  as  the  Legal  Tender  Acts  are 
constitutional  when  applied  to  contracts 
made  before  their  passage,  and  are  also  ap- 
plicable to  contracts  made  since."  The 
last  decision  was  made  by  a  divided  Court, 
Judge  Davis  holding  with  the  majority  that 
Congress  had  the  power  to  pass  the  legal 
tender  acts  of  1862  and  1S63.  Mr.  Choate, 
with  the  wand  of  his  genius,  has  marked 
with  beautiful  accuracy  the  perfect  judge: 
"  He  shall  know  nothing  about  the  parties; 
everything  about  the  case.  He  shall  do 
everything  for  justice;  nothing  for  himself; 
nothing  for  his  patrons;  nothing  for  his  sov- 
ereign. If  on  one  side  is  the  executive 
power  and  the  legislature  and  the  people — 
the  source  of  his  honors,  the  givers  of  his 
daily  bread — and  on  the  other  side  an  indi- 
vidual, nameless  and  odious,  his  eye  is  to 
see  neither  great  nor  small,  attending  only  to 
the  trepidations  of  the  balance."  "  Give," 
says  Mr.  Choate,  ' '  to  the  community  such  a 
Judge  and  I  care  little  who  makes  the  rest 
of  the  constitution,  or  what  party  adminis- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


15 


ters  it.  It  will  be  a  free  government."  To 
this  ideal,  high  though  it  is,  Judge  Davis  at- 
tained. Although  he  had  not  participated 
in  politics  since  the  convention  of  i860,  in 
January,  1872,  the  Labor  Reform  party 
nominated  him  for  President. 

Owing  to  the  dissatisfaction  in  the  Re- 
publican party  the  liberal  movement  was 
inaugurated  in  the  early  part  of  1872,  which 
culminated  in  a  convention  in  May;  and  to 
that  convention  his  name  was  submitted  as 
a  candidate.  Illinois  was  divided  between 
Judge  Davis  and  Senator  Trumbull,  which 
destroyed  the  chances  of  both.  The  friends 
of  Judge  Davis  were  largely  in  the  majority, 
but  there  being  no  state  convention  held 
in  Illinois,  the  question  had  to  be  settled  by 
an  equal  division  of  the  delegation.  The 
result  of  the  convention  was  the  nomination 
of  Mr.  Greeley,  and  the  memorable  cam- 
paign of  1872.  In  the  election  of  1876 
in  Illinois  neither  of  the  great  parties  se- 
cured a  majority  of  the  legislature,  and  the 
balance  of  power  was  held  by  the  Inde- 
pendent party,  which  nominated  Judge 
Davis  as  its  candidate  for  the  United  States 
Senate.  General  Logan  was  the  nominee 
for  the  Republican  party  and  various  per- 
sons were  supported  by  the  Democracy. 
After  a  contest  lasting  from  the  first  of  Jan- 
uary until  the  first  of  March,  the  Democ- 
racy united  with  the  Independents  and 
elected  the  Judge  a  Senator  from  the  4th  of 
March,  1877.  The  honor  was  unsolicited  on 
his  part,  and  no  effort  was  made  by  him 
to  influense  the  choice  of  the  legislature. 
He  did  not  exchange  the  court  for  the 
senate  because  he  preferred  the  dignity 
and  duty  of  the  latter;  but  because  the 
legislature  tendered  him  the  place,  and 
under  all  the  circumstances  he  did  not 
feel    at    liberty    to    decline.         His    career 


as  judge  commenced  in  1848  and  ended 
in  1877,  making  a  continuous  service  of 
twenty-nine  years  of  judicial  labor.  Upon 
his  retirement  his  brethern  of  the  bench 
left  upon  the  records  of  the  court  an  en- 
during memorial  of  his  many  virtues  as 
shown  by  correspondence.  On  the  5th  of 
March,  1877,  he  addressed  his  brethren  of 
the  court:  "  My  official  connection  with  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  closes 
to-day.  Having  passed  all  the  years  of  my 
active  life  at  the  bar  or  on  the  bench,  it  is 
not  without  serious  misgivings  that  I  enter 
upon  a  new  sphere  of  public  service;  but  I 
have  not  felt  at  liberty  to  decline  a  seat  in 
the  Senate,  with  which  I  have  been  honored 
by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of 
Illinois.  Having  severed  the  relations  which 
have  existed  between  us  for  so  many  years, 
I  beg  leave  to  bear  my  testimony  to  the 
eminent  learning,  ability  and  integrity  which 
have  characterized  your  judicial  labors. 
From  the  organization  of  the  government, 
the  Supreme  Court  has  been  composed  of 
able  and  upright  judges.  In  my  judgment, 
it  is  now  as  worthy  of  the  confidence  of  the 
American  people  as  it  ever  has  been  at  any 
period  of  its  history.  Since  I  was  invited 
to  its  councils  by  President  Lincoln,  six  of 
its  members  have  been  numbered  with  the 
dead.  I  take  great  satisfaction  in  the  re- 
flection that  my  relations  with  them,  and 
all  my  associates,  have  been  uniformly  kind 
and  cordial.  In  offering  you  my  parting 
salutations,  I  beg  you  to  be  assured  of  the 
respect  and  sincere  good  wishes  with  which 
I  remain  your  friend  and  servant."  To 
which  the  Court  by  letter  replied:  "We 
have  received  with  sincere  regret  your  letter 
announcing  that  your  official  connection 
with  us  is  closed.  During  the  fifteen  years 
in  which  you  have  been  a  member  of  this 


i6 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Court,  questions  of  the  gravest  character 
have  come  before  it  for  adjudication,  and 
you  have  borne  your  full  share  of  the  labor 
and  responsibility  which  their  decision  in- 
volved. We  shall  miss  you  in  the  confer- 
ence room,  your  wise  judgment  and  your 
just  appreciation  of  facts;  in  the  reception 
room,  your  kind  and  courteous  greetings. 
With  the  hope  that  your  life  in  the  future 
may  be  as  useful  as  it  has  been  in  the  past, 
and  that  the  ties  of  personal  friendship 
which  now  bind  us  so  closely  to  you  may 
never  be  broken,  we  subscribe  ourselves  very 
sincerely  your  friends." 

While  he  had  but  little  legislative  expe- 
rience when  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Senate,  he  at  once  took  a  position  among 
the  leaders  of  that  distinguished  body, 
serving  on  the  judiciary  committee  with 
Edmunds,  Conkling,  Thurman,  Garland, 
Carpenter,  and  other  great  lawyers  of  the 
American  Senate.  In  November,  1879,  less 
than  two  years  after  his  election,  Mrs. 
Davis,  who  had  been  in  delicate  health  for 
some  time,  died  at  her  old  home  in  Massa- 
chusetts, leaving  after  her  the  memory  of 
many  acts  of  kindness  in  alleviating  the 
wants  of  the  poor,  both  in  Washington  and 
the  city  in  which  she  lived  for  nearly  half  a 
century.  Judge  Davis  served  as  acting  vice- 
president  for  nearly  two  years,  and  with  but 
little  experience  in  the  technical  knowledge 
of  parliamentary  law  he  decided  every 
question  that  came  before  the  Senate  with- 
out submission,  and  never  was  reversed  by 
the  action  of  the  Senate.  In  the  Senate, 
as  in  every  other  situation,  he  commanded 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  associates, 
and  retired  from  that  body  at  the  end  of 
his  term  to  enjoy  the  ease  and  comfort  of 
private  life.  As  a  member  of  the  judiciary 
cuaimittee,  he  performed  faithful  service  in 


shaping  the  legislation  of  Congress  during 
the  entire  term  of  his  office. 

In  March,  1883,  upon  the  expiration  of 
his  term  as  senator,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Adeline  Burr,  of  Fayetteville,  North  Caro- 
lina, a  lady  of  many  accomplishments  and 
fitted  in  every  respect  for  the  high  social 
position  which  she  occupied  as  the  wife  of 
Judge  Davis.  After  his  retirement  from  the 
senate,  he  devoted  his  attention  to  private 
business,  which,  on  account  of  his  extensive 
property,  was  large  and  exacting.  As  he 
approached  the  age  of  seventy,  the  vigor  of 
his  constitution  and  the  vivacity  of  his 
spirits  became  much  impaired  by  the  en- 
croachments of  disease,  and  on  the  26th  of 
June,  1 886,  after  an  illness  of  several 
months,  he  passed  the  mysterious  change  of 
death.  At  the  time  of  his  decease,  though 
retired  from  public  life,  men  of  all  creeds 
and  of  all  parties  anxiously  hoped  for  his 
restoration  to  health  and  vigor.  As  a  pub- 
lic man,  he  filled  no  ordinary  space  in  the 
affections  of  the  people,  and  in  the  appre- 
ciation of  personal  friendship  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  a  land  made  bet- 
ter and  happier  by  the  goodness  and  great- 
ness of  his  character.  He  left  surviving  as 
children  Mr.  George  Perrin  Davis  and 
Mrs.  Sarah  D.  Swayne  to  perpetuate  the 
worth  of  a  life  rich  in  the  goodness  of  duty 
performed.  Nature  and  education  had 
stamped  upon  him  every  lineament  of  gen- 
tility. Though  he  was  wealthy,  fortune- 
making  was  not  a  passion  of  his  life.  He 
loved  thrift,  independence  and  possession; 
but  mere  wealth  had  no  allurements  for 
him.  He  served  the  state  as  a  judge  at  a 
nominal  salary,  to  the  great  sacrifice  of  his 
pecuniary  interests,  and  his  whole  life  was 
devoted  to  the  public  service  to  the  detri- 
ment of  his  private  fortune.      His  life  was  a 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


17 


success;  not  accidental,  but  deserved.  He 
approached  the  ladder  of  fortune  and  fame 
and  placed  his  feet  on  every  round  on  which 
he  stood  as  the  result  of  his  own  labor  and 
merit.  If  he  had  opportunity,  he  created 
it;  if  he  had  success,  he  achieved  it;  if  he 
had  victory,  he  won  it.  He  produced  the 
conditions  of  his  own  advancement.  He 
filled  three  score  and  ten  years  with  good- 
ness and  crowned  them  with  greatness. 
He  commanded  the  respect  of  his  fellow- 
citizens  of  all  sections  and  of  all  parties, 
and,  in  the  language  of  Judge  Kelley:  "  He 
is  so  well  known  to  the  country  by  his 
career  as  an  independent  senator  and  a 
learned  and  conscientious  justice  of  the  su- 
preme court  of  the  United  States." 


TAMES  M.  STINE,  of  Saybrook,  Illinois, 
<J  after  years  of  honest  toil,  is  now  liv- 
ing a  retired  life,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his 
industry  and  thirft.  He  was  born  in  Mon- 
roe county,  Indiana,  May  15,  1847,  and  in 
his  native  county  and  state  he  grew  to  man- 
hood, being  reared  to  farm  life.  His  edu- 
cational advantages  were  fairly  good,  and  he 
received  a  good  common-school  education. 
He  remained  with  his  parents  until  grown, 
in  the  meantime  assisting  in  the  farm  work. 
He  was  married  in  Monroe  county,  Indiana, 
July  16,  1868,  to  Miss  Margaret  Lainen, 
also  a  native  of  Monroe  county.  After  his 
marriage,  he  located  on  a  farm  in  that 
county  land  there  engaged  in  farming  for 
five  years. 

Believing  he  could  better  himself  in  the 
prairie  state,  Mr.  Stine  came  with  his  fam- 
ily to  McLean  county  in  1874,  and  located 
first  in  West  township,  where  he  rented  a 
farm  and  there  remained  three  years.  He 
then     moved    into    Arrowsmith    township, 


rented  land  and  farmed  for  nine  years.  At 
the  e.xpiration  of  that  time  he  moved  into 
Cheney's  Grove  township,  and  purchased  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  si.xty  acres.  He 
did  not,  however,  locate  on  that  farm,  but 
rented  it  out,  and  on  another  rented  farm  he 
moved  with  his  family.  Four  years  later  he 
sold  the  farm  he  bought  at  a  nice  advance, 
and  later  bought  a  farm  of  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  in  Jasper  county,  Indiana. 
He  did  not  move  to  his  new  purchase,  but 
continued  to  reside  in  McLean  county  and 
still  continued  to  farm.  He  later  sold  his 
Indiana  farm,  but  continued  farming  in  Mc- 
Lean county  until  his  removal  to  Saybrook, 
in  1898.  In  the  meantime  he  bought  some 
nice  lots  and  built  a  good  residence,  in  Say- 
brook. In  1896  he  purchased  a  hardware 
establishment  in  Saybrook,  and  taking  into 
partnership  his  son,  H.  D.,  he  carried  on 
that  line  of  trade,  the  son  taking  the  active 
business  management.  He  continued  in 
this  line  for  about  two  years  and  then  sold 
his  interest  to  the  son,  the  latter  continuing 
the  business. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stine  are  the  parents  of 
si.x  children,  H.  D.,  mentioned  above,  being 
the  eldest.  William  R. ,  the  ne.xt  born,  is 
engaged  in  the  draying  business  in  Saybrook. 
J.  B.,  Ila  M.,  James  and  Daisy  are  at  home. 

Politically,  Mr.  Stine  is  an  earnest  and 
true  Democrat,  having  supported  the  men 
and  measures  of  that  party  since  casting  his 
first  presidential  vote  for  Horatio  Seymour  in 
1868.  He  would  never  accept  any  local 
office  save  that  of  school  director.  For  fif- 
teen years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the 
school  board,  the  greater  part  of  the  time 
being  clerk  of  the  district.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Christain  church  of  Saybrook,  of 
which  body  his  wife  is  also  a  member.  So- 
cially, they   are  held  in  high  esteem,   and 


[8 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


they  have  many  friends  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  county,  where  they  are  well  known, 
and  where  they  have  resided  a  quarter  of  a 
century. 


HUGH  D.  STINE,  who  is  engaged  in 
the  hardware  business  in  Saybrook,  is 
one  of  the  most  active  and  enterprising  of 
the  younger  business  men  of  the  county. 
He  is  a  native  of  McLean  county,  and  was 
born  in  West  township,  March  28,  1875. 
He  is  the  son  of  James  M.  and  Margaret 
(Lamen)  Stine,  of  whom  mention  is  made 
elswhere  in  this  work.  He  remained  with 
his  parents  until  he  attained  his  majority. 
His  primary  education  was  obtained  in  the 
district  schools  of  Arrowsmith  and  Cheney's 
Grove  township,  and  was  supplemented 
by  the  high  school  of  Saybrook.  He  then 
entered  the  State  Normal  school  at  Normal, 
which  he  attended  several  terms,  finishing 
his  education  in  that  institution.  He  then 
engaged  in  teaching,  which  profession  he 
followed  about  two  years  and  a  half.  In 
1896,  he  entered  into  partnership  with  his 
father  and  engaged  in  his  present  line  of 
business.  In  the  three  years  which  have 
followed  he  has  built  up  an  excellent  trade. 
His  father  remained  with  him  until  1898, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  alone.  In 
addition  to  a  stock  of  shelf  and  heavy  hard- 
ware, he  handle  in  the  seasons  agricultural 
implements  of  allkinds,  including  repairs  for 
the  various  kinds  of  machines  in  use  by  the 
farmers.  He  has  shown  himself  a  good 
business  man,  and  is  well  deserving  of  the 
trade  which  he  has  secured. 

Religiously,  Mr.  Stine  is  connected  with 
the  Christian  church  of  Saybrook,  and  takes 
quite  an  active  part  in  the  work  of  the 
church.     At  present  he  is  one  of  the  trustees 


of  the  church.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  has  passed 
through  all  the  chairs  of  the  lodge  in  Say- 
brook, and  is  now  past  chancellor.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  Saybrook  Lodge,  No.  460, 
I.  O.  O.  F.  As  a  stockholder  in  the  Fair 
Association  of  Saybrook,  he  takes  an 
active  interest  in  it,  and  gives  of  his  time 
and  means  to  make  it  a  success.  In  every- 
thing of  a  public  nature  for  the  best  inter- 
est of  his  adopted  city  he  shows  his  public 
spirit,  and  is  regarded  by  the  people  of  the 
city  as  one  of  its  most  enterprising  men. 
Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  is  now 
serving  as  one  of  the  aldermen  of  the  city. 


WILLIAM  WILES.  In  this  enlight- 
ened age,  when  men  of  energy,  in- 
dustry, and  merit  are  rapidly  pushing  their 
way  to  the  front,  those  who  by  their  indi- 
vidual efforts  have  won  fame  and  fortune, 
may  promptly  claim  recognition.  Years 
ago  when  the  west  was  entering  upon  an 
era  of  growth  and  development,  and 
Illinois  was  laying  its  foundation  for  a 
future  prosperity,  there  came  hither  from 
all  parts  of  Europe  men  of  sturdy  independ- 
ence, and  with  determination  to  succeed, 
that  justly  entitles  them  to  representation 
in  the  history  of  the  great  west.  Among 
this  class  is  numbered  Mr.  Wiles,  who  after 
an  active  and  useful  life  is  now  enjoying  a 
well-earned  retirement  from  labors  in  his 
pleasant  home  in  Chenoa.  He  was  born  in 
Long  Sutton,  Lincolnshire,  England,  on  the 
24th  of  May,  1820,  and  is  a  son  of  William 
and  Sarah  (Sanling)  Wiles,  whose  home  was 
in  England,  and  after  years  of  toil  and  a 
life  of  fruitfulness  were  laid  to  rest  beneath 
the  soil  they  loved  best.  William  was 
reared  in    England,    and    at   the  age  of  ten 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


19 


years,  atter  his  father's  death,  commenced 
the  struggle  for  a  HveHhood.  From  the 
commencement  of  his  career  until  his  re- 
tirement in  1883,  Mr.  Wiles  has  followed 
agricultural  pursuits,  perfecting  himself  in 
all  branches,  and  the  present  thrifty  condi- 
tion of  his  farm  in  Yates  township,  recently 
given  over  to  the  charge  of  his  son,  speaks 
for  itself  of  his  understanding  and  good 
management.  For  the  first  two  years  of 
his  working  life  he  received  the  meagre  sum 
of  eight  cents  per  day,  and  the  two  years 
following,  twelve  cents.  During  his  four- 
teenth and  fifteenth  years  he  received  sixteen 
cents  per  day,  and  throughout  all  these 
years  furnished  his  own  board.  Mr.  Wiles 
then  entered  the  employ  of  a  farmer  from 
whom  he  received  twelve  dollars  and  fifty 
cents  per  year,  and  with  whom  he  remained 
for  thirteen  years,  afterward  working  for 
various  other  farmers  until  his  twenty-sev- 
enth year.  His  experiences,  though  hard, 
were  not  without  their  benefits.  The 
thorough  understanding  and  experienced  e- 
rived  from  the  many  years  of  hard  labor, 
enabled  him  to  fill  the  responsible  position 
of  overseer  of  a  large  farm,  extending  over 
many  acres,  and  upon  which  he  remained 
for  seven  years. 

On  the  i6th  of  May,  1847,  Mr.  Wiles 
married  Frances  Ann  Frank,  an  English 
woman.  Seven  children  have  been  born  to 
them,  namely:  Eliza,  deceased;  George, 
Sarah,  William,  John,  Florence,  deceased; 
and  Edward,  also  deceased.  The  four  for- 
mer were  born  before  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wiles 
left  England.  In  1857  the  family  emi- 
grated to  America,  locating  in  Eureka,  Illi- 
nois, where  they  resided  for  seven  years, 
and  then  came  to  Yates  township,  where 
Mr.  Wiles  had  purchased  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred  and   twenty  acres,  and   where   he  put 


into  practice  all  the  modern  and  scientific 
methods  known  to  the  agricultural  world  at 
that  time,  but  giving  the  greater  part  of  his 
attention  to  the  raising  of  hogs.  In  1883 
he  placed  the  management  of  the  farm  in 
the  hands  of  his  son  Edward,  and  removed 
to  Chenoa,  where  he  now  resides  in  his 
cheerful  and  comfortable  home,  enjoying 
the  fruits  of  his  former  active  life.  In  the 
quiet  evening  of  life,  shadows  ofttimes  come 
to  darken  our  horizon.  On  the  2d  of  Octo- 
ber, 1897,  Mr.  Wiles  experienced  the  sad 
loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  in  her  seventy- 
fifth  year.  Our  subject  gives  his  support 
to  the  Democratic  party,  and  while  not 
aspiring  to  public  office,  his  fellow-citizens 
have  called  upon  him  to  serve  as  road  com- 
missioner, which  he  has  done  for  three  terms, 
giving  due  satisfaction.  He  is  a  self-made 
man  in  every  respect;  his  life  has  been 
long,  eventful  and  useful,  and  in  his  declin- 
ing years  he  has  the  love  and  respect  of  all 
who  know  him.  He  is  not  a  member  of 
any  religious  body,  but  he  is  a  true  soldier 
of  the  cross,  who  upholds  and  believes  in 
the  principles  of  truth  as  taught  by  the 
Savior  of  men. 


JOHN  H.  SPENCE,  an  enterprising  and 
successful  farmer  residing  on  section  21, 
Cheney's  Grove,  McLean  county,  was  born 
in  Xenia,  Greene  county,  Ohio,  August  19, 
1850,  a  son  of  John  A.  Spence,  a  portrait 
painter  and  artist  of  considerable  ability. 
The  father  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, of  which  place  his  father,  Henry 
Spence,  was  an  early  settler  and  business 
man.  In  Xenia,  Ohio,  John  A.  Spence 
married  Miss  Maria  Horn,  a  native  of  that 
city  and  a  daughter  of  John  Horn,  who  was 
born  in    Germany   and    was   a    pioneer    of 


20 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Ohio.  For  some  years  after  their  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spence  continued  to  reside  in 
Xenia  and  then  removed  to  Illinois,  locat- 
ing in  Stanton,  where  the  father  died  in 
1858.  The  mother  is  still  living,  a  hale 
and  hearty  old  lady  of  about  seventy  years, 
and  finds  a  pleasant  home  with  our  subject. 
In  their  family  were  six  children,  five  of 
whom  are  still  living,  namely:  Sarah,  now 
the  widow  of  Elijah  Stephens,  and  a  resi- 
dent of  Denver,  Colorado;  J.  H.,  our  sub- 
ject; Mary,  wife  of  David  Shelbrick,  of 
Columbus,  Ohio;  Julia,  wife  of  John  Saylor, 
of  Saybrook,  Illinois;  and  Catherine  Card, 
a  resident  of  McLean.  Anna  died  in  child- 
hood at  Heyworth,  this  county. 

When  a  lad  of  ten  years,  John  H.  Spence 
came  with  his  mother  to  Heyworth,  and  in 
this  county  he  grew  to  manhood,  his  edu- 
cation being  mostly  acquired  in  the  public 
schools  of  Heyworth.  As  his  father  was 
dead,  he  lived  upon  a  farm  with  his  uncle, 
Robert  Mcllvain,  an  early  settler  of  Mc- 
Lean county,  and  he  early  acquired  an  ex- 
cellent knowledge  of  agricultural  pursuits. 
On  starting  out  in  life  for  himself,  he  rented 
and  operated  some  of  ICerrick's  land  in 
Funk's  Grove  township,  and  later  farmed 
on  the  Sherwood  land  in  Anchor  township 
for  four  years.  In  18S3  he  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  near  Gibson  City, 
in  Ford  county,  and  to  the  cultivation  and 
improvement  of  that  place  he  devoted  his 
time  and  attention  for  seven  years.  He 
then  sold  out  and  returned  to  McLean 
county,  buying  a  fairly  well  improved  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  section 
21,  Cheney's  Grove  township,  where  he  now 
resides.  He  has  since  added  to  this  a 
twenty-acre  tract,  and  now  has  a  valuable 
and  fertile  farm  of  one  hundred  and  forty 
acres,   which  he   has  placed   under  a    high 


state  of  cultivation.  It  is  divided  into  fields 
of  convenient  size  by  well-kept  fences,  and 
he  has  built  a  good  barn  and  cribs,  set  out 
fruit  and  shade  trees  and  made  many  per- 
manent improvements  on  the  place,  so  that 
it  is  now  one  of  the  most  desirable  of  its 
size  in  the  locality. 

Politically,  Mr.  Spence  is  identified  with 
the  Prohibition  party,  but  formerly  was  a 
Republican.  He  and  his  mother  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
in  Saybrook,  and  have  the  respect  and  es- 
teem of  all  who  know  them.  He  started 
out  in  life  for  himself  in  limited  circum- 
stances, but  by  hard  labor,  close  applica- 
tion, untiring  perseverance  and  good  man- 
agement he  has  become  quite  well-to-do, 
and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful as  well  as  one  of  the  most  reliable  farm- 
ers of  his  community. 


ARTHUR  RODMAN,  secretary  and  man- 
ager of  the  Bloomington  Store  Fixture 
Company,  is  a  well-known  and  successful 
business  man  of  Bloomington.  He  is  a 
native  of  McLean  count}',  born  in  Old  Town 
township  August  17,  1865,  and  is  a  son  of 
Francis  A.  and  Angelina  (Matthews)  Rod- 
man, who  were  among  the  early  settlers  of 
the  county.  The  Rodman  family  trace 
their  ancestry  back  to  John  Rodman,  a 
Quaker,  who  was  expelled  from  England  on 
account  of  his  extreme  democratic  views, 
and  who  located  on  the  island  of  Barbados, 
where  he  became  a  large  sugar  planter, 
owning  the  entire  island.  Some  of  his  chil- 
dren later  settled  in  New  England,  and  the 
family  have  since  been  prominently  identi- 
fied with  the  history  of  this  country,  some 
occupying  high  stations,  furnishing  to  the 
country    eminent    politicians,    members    of 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


21 


congress  and  of  the  legislature,  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  lawyers  and  military  men. 
During  the  Revolutionary  war  representa- 
tives of  the  family  took  a  prominent  part  in 
the  struggle  on  the  American  side.  One  of 
the  family  is  the  celebrated  Captain  Rod- 
man, inventor  of  the  Rodman  gun. 

Scammon  Rodman,  the  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  was  born  in  Berks  county, 
Pennsylvania,  about  1811,  and  from  there 
removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  became  an  ex- 
tensive farmer  and  stock  raiser.  He  there 
married  Eliza  Wolf,  by  whom  he  had  ten 
children.  He  became  quite  prominent  in 
Ohio,  but  with  the  thought  that  he  could 
better  himself  and  give  his  children  better 
opportunities  for  advancement,  he  came  to 
McLean  county  in  1853  and  located  in  Old 
Town  township,  where  he  purchased  a  large 
tract  of  land,  and  again  engaged  in  general 
farming  and  stock  raising.  He  became  very 
well-to-do,  and  was  quite  prominent  in  local 
and  state  politics,  serving  his  township  as 
supervisor  and  in  other  positions.  He  was 
first  a  Whig,  and  on  the  death  of  that  party 
became  a  stanch  Republican.  He  died  in 
Old  Town  township  in  1895.  His  wife 
preceded  him  some  fifteen  years. 

Francis  A.  Rodman  was  born  in  Zanes- 
ville,  Ohio,  June  20,  1837,  and  there  spent 
his  boyhood  and  received  his  education  in 
the  public  schools.  He  came  with  the  fam- 
ily to  this  county  in  1853,  and  devoted  him- 
self to  agricultural  pursuits.  He  yet  re- 
mains an  honored  citizen  of  the  township, 
and  is  well  known  and  universally  respected. 
He  was  married  in  Old  Town  township  to 
Angeline  Matthews.  Mrs.  Rodman  died  in 
March,  1870,  leaving  four  sons.  Henry  H. 
residing  near  Bloomington.  Samuel,  now 
deceased.  Arthur,  our  subject,  is  next  in 
order    of    birth.      Bert,    a  twin    brother  of 


Arthur,  is  now  deceased.  The  parents  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
church,  and  in  politics  the  father  is  a  Re- 
publican. 

Arthur  Rodman  was  reared  on  his  fa- 
ther's farm,  and  was  educated  in  Old  Town, 
receiving  a  good  common-school  education. 
He  was  enabled  to  pass  a  successful  exami- 
nation for  a  teacher's  certificate,  and  for 
five  successive  years  taught  the  home  school. 
By  a  coincidence  he  was  brought  into  the 
manufacturing  business;  having  invented  a 
number  of  convenient  devices  in  the  line  of 
store  fixtures,  he  engaged  in  their  manufac- 
ture. The  demand  for  them  was  much 
greater  than  was  expected,  and  in  order  to 
increase  the  facilities  for  their  manufacture 
in  1893  he  organized  the  Bloomington 
Store  Fixture  Company,  with  a  capital  stock 
of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  of  which  S. 
R.  White  is  president.  By  the  company  he 
was  made  secretary  and  general  manager,  a 
position  that  he  still  holds.  The  company 
occupies  much  the  larger  part  of  the  White 
building,  76x112  feet,  using  four  floors  and 
the  basement.  The  factory  is  supplied  with 
all  modern  and  up-to-date  machinery,  and 
manufacture  a  superior  line  of  bank  furni- 
ture and  store  fixtures,  and  having  a  trade 
that  extends  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
and  from  the  gulf  to  the  Dominion  of 
Canada. 

Mr  Rodman  has  had  the  sole  responsi- 
bility and  management  of  the  company  since 
its  inception,  and  has  made  of  it  a  fine 
success.  Employment  is  given  to  about 
fifty  skilled  workmen  in  making  the  furni- 
ture, which  is  the  finest  manufactured  in 
the  country,  and  is  now  one  of  the  noted  in- 
dustries of  the  city.  Mr.  Rodman  has  made 
all  the  designs  and  drawings  for  the  work, 
and  while  he  had  no  advantages  in  the  way 


22 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


of  instruction  in  this  line,  he  is  an  excellent 
designer,  as  is  shown  by  his  work  and 
the  demand  for  the  goods.  One  of  the 
secrets  of  his  success  is  that  his  designs  are 
all  original.  He  devotes  his  whole  time  to 
his  work  and  has  traveled  all  over  the 
country  in  the  interest  of  the  business. 

On  the  25th  of  June,  1896,  Mr.  Rodman 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  May 
Leaton,  of  Bloomington,  daughter  of  J. 
H.  Leaton,  who  was  clerk  of  the  circuit 
court  for  twelve  consecutive  years.  She  is 
a  highly  educated  woman,  a  graduate  of  the 
State  Normal,  in  the  class  of  1894.  She  is 
possessed  of  artistic  ability  of  a  high  order 
and  is  a  good  painter  in  water  colors,  and 
her  pen  sketches  are  fine.  The  walls  of 
their  beautiful  home  are  decorated  with 
specimens  of  her  artistic  work.  Their  fine 
residence  on  East  Graham  street  was  built 
from  designs  furnished  by  Mr.  Rodman,  and 
is  constructed  of  finely  selected  woods,  be- 
ing very  attractive  to  the  eye. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rodman  are  members  of 
the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
Bloomington.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member 
of  Bloomington  Lodge,  No.  43,  A.  F.  &  A. 
M.;  Remembrance  Lodge,  No.  "JJ ,  I.  O.  O. 
F. ;  Jesse  Fell  Lodge,  No.  164,  K.  P.  He  is 
a  representative  of  the  younger  business 
men  of  Bloomington,  and  is  deserving  of 
the  respect  in  which  he  is  held. 


HON.  JOSEPH  W.  FIFER,  LL.  D., 
stands  pre-eminent,  not  alone  among 
the  distinguished  men  of  McLean  county, 
but  of  the  state  and  nation  as  well.  He  is 
a  man  of  the  people,  standing  in  close  touch 
with  them,  and  having  that  confidence  in 
the  common  people  that  distinguished  our 
first   martyr    president,    Abraham    Lincoln. 


Like  the  latter,  he  boasts  of  no  distin- 
guished birth,  but  "blood  will  tell,"  and  if 
one  has  within  him  the  making  of  a  man, 
time  will  develop  any  talent  that  he  may 
possess.  The  truth  of  this  statement  is 
clearly  shown  in  the  life  of  "Private  Joe  " 
Fifer,  who  has  held  the  highest  office  with- 
in the  gift  of  the  people  of  the  state  of 
Illinois,  an  office  which  he  filled  with  an 
ability  second  to  none  who  were  ever  called 
upon  to  occupy  the  exalted  position. 

Joseph  W.  Fifer  was  born  in  Staunton, 
Virginia  in  1844,  and  with  his  parents,  who 
were  natives  of  the  same  state,  emigrated 
to  McLean  county  in  1857,  locating  in  Dan- 
vers  township,  where  the  elder  Fifer  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  connection  with  his 
trade  of  brick  laying. 

Trained  to  be  loyal  and  true  to  his  coun- 
try, when  the  safety  of  the  government  was 
imperilled  by  those  who  would  sever  it  in 
twain,  with  his  brother  George,  he  walked 
to  Bloomington,  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles, 
and  enlisted  as  a  member  of  Company  — , 
Thirty-third  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry. 
George,  being  the  elder,  was  commissioned 
first  lieutenant,  while  Joseph  entered  the 
ranks  and  was  "  only  a  private."  As  such 
he  served  three  full  years,  his  career  being 
indeed  an  honorable  one.  The  Thirty-third 
regiment  experienced  hard  service,  making 
a  record  equal  to  any  in  the  service.  Just  ' 
after  the  siege  and  fall  of  Vicksburg,  in 
which  the  regiment  took  a  prominent  and 
honorable  part,  the  Thirteenth  Army  Corps, 
to  which  it  belonged,  turned  fiercely  upon 
General  Johnston,  who  had  during  the  siege 
been  threatening  Grant's  rear.  On  July  13, 
1863,  at  Jackson,  Mississippi,  Sherman's 
force  assaulted  the  intrenchment  of  John- 
ston, at  which  time  Mr.  Fifer,  the  youthful 
private,    fell    in   front    of    a     rebel     abattis. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


23 


pierced  through  the  body  by  a  minie  ball. 
His  comrades,  who  saw  him  fall,  thought  he 
was  surely  killed.  The  weather  was  torrid 
in  the  extreme,  and  the  surgeon.  Rev.  Dr. 
Rex,  told  Lieutenant  Fifer  that  unless  ice 
could  be  procured  his  brother  Joseph  must 
die.  It  was  fifty  miles  to  Vicksburg,  the 
nearest  place  where  ice  could  be  had, 
and  the  country  was  hostile,  wild  and  war- 
torn.  Johnston  B.  Lott,  a  comrade,  who 
touched  elbows  with  Joseph  in  the  ranks, 
bravely  volunteered  to  go  with  an  ambu- 
lance for  ice.  His  mission  succeeded,  ice 
was  procured,  and  Joseph's  life  was  saved. 
As  soon  as  the  nature  of  the  wound  would 
admit,  he  set  off,  mangled  and  almost 
dying  to  seek  health  once  more  under  his 
father's  lowly  roof,  up  in  "  God's  coun- 
try."  His  recovery  from  his  terrible  wound 
was,  perhaps,  more  complete  than  was  ever 
known  from  one  of  like  severity.  For  this 
result  he  has  largely  to  thank  his  rugged 
constitution,  his  temperate  habits,  and  his 
early  inurement  to  labor  and  hardships. 
Bad  as  he  was  wounded,  he  did  not  ask  or 
receive  discharge  from  service  because  of 
disability.  His  brother  George  was  killed 
in  the  engagement  before  Fort  Esperanza, 
Texas,  a  short  time  before  the  close  of  hos- 
tilities. 

On  receiving  his  discharge,  Mr.  Fifer 
returned  to  his  old  home,  but  it  was  not  to 
there  long  remain.  He  determined,  in 
some  way,  to  secure  an  education.  While 
he  believed  that  all  labor  was  honorable,  he 
yet  had  an  ambition  to  make  for  himself  a 
name,  to  be  something  more  than  a  com- 
mon day  laborer.  His  means  were  limited, 
but  his  object  must  be  attained,  and  so  he 
entered  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  University 
from  which  he  graduated  in  June,   1868. 

After  being   admitted  to  the  bar,  it  was 


not  long  before  the  ability  of  Mr.  Fifer  was 
recognized  by  his  fellow-citizens,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1871  he  was  elected  corporation 
counsel  for  the  city  of  Bloomington.  The 
city  then  had  more  important  legislation 
than  usual,  the  new  state  constitution  hav- 
ing made  important  changes  in  the  law  of 
special  assessments.  Inexperienced  as  he 
was,  Mr.  Fifer  grappled  manfully  and  suc- 
cessfully with  these  new  questions.  In 
1872,  he  was  by  almost  unanimous  consent 
of  the  Republicans  of  the  county,  chosen 
their  candidate  for  state's  attorney  to  which 
office  he  was  elected,  and  by  re-election 
served  eight  years. 

In  1880,  Mr.  Fifer  was  elected  to  the 
state  senate,  and  it  is  only  necessary  to  say 
that  he  took  a  position  in  that  body  of 
equal  prominence  with  that  which  he  held 
at  the  bar.  He  acquired  a  state  acquaint- 
ance, and  made  friends  of  all  he  met.  A 
reputation  for  learning  and  ability  had  pre- 
ceded him,  and  he  was  awarded  places  upon 
some  of  the  most  important  committees  of 
the  senate,  among  them  the  judiciary  com- 
mittee and  the  committee  on  judicial  de- 
partment. His  experience  in  the  enforce- 
ment of  the  original  law  had  suggested 
some  important  changes  in  the  criminal 
practice,  which  he  took  an  early  opportun- 
ity to  have  incorporated  in  the  statutes  of 
the  state.  Two  of  the  most  important  of 
these  were  the  law  in  reference  to  contin- 
uances and  the  law  regulating  changes  of 
venue  in  criminal  cases.  At  the  expiration 
of  his  term  in  the  senate  he  declined  re- 
election. 

The  career  of  Mr.  Fifer  in  the  senate 
brought  him  into  prominence  before  the 
people  of  the  state,  and  in  1880  he  received 
the  nomination  of  the  state  Republican  con- 
vention for  governor  of  the  state.    The  can- 


24 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


vass  he  made  was  a  brilliant  one,  and  every- 
where "Private  Joe"  was  cordially  re- 
ceived, and  his  election  was  secured  by  a 
large  majority.  For  four  years  his  admin- 
istration of  the  affairs  of  state  was  able  and 
dignified.  From  the  inception  of  the  Co- 
lumbian idea,  Governor  Fifer  was  an  enthu- 
siastic supporter  of  the  exposition;  his  in- 
fluence was  given  unreservedly  to  the  pas- 
sage of  the  various  enabling  acts  by  which 
the  general  assembly  legalized  the  transfer 
of  the  parks  and  the  issue  of  Chicago  bonds 
to  the  corporation  of  the  fair,  and  his 
signature  was  given  promptly  to  the  final 
measure  by  which  the  state  of  Illinois  made 
munificent  appropriation  for  her  buildings 
and  exhibit.  In  1892  he  was  nominated 
for  re-election,  but  was  defeated  by  John  P. 
Altgeld,  going  down  in  the  great  political 
landslide  of  that  year,  his  defeat,  however, 
being  principally  caused  by  his  advanced 
views  in  favor  of  compulsory  education.  In 
1896  he  was  a  prominent  candidate  before 
the  national  Republican  convention  for  the 
vice-presidency,  having  support  from  many 
of  the  states  of  the  union. 

On  the  15th  of  June,  1870,  Mr.  Fifer  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Gertrude 
Lewis,  and  by  this  union  there  are  two 
children.  Herman  W.  is  a  graduate  of  Will- 
iams College,  Williamstown,  Massachusetts, 
in  the  class  of  1898,  and  is  now  in  the  law 
department  of  Wesleyan  University.  Flor- 
ence is  now  the  wife  of  J.  H.  Bohrer,  one 
of  the  directors  of  the  Corn  Belt  Bank  of 
Bloomington. 

From  1891  to  1893  Mr.  Fifer  was  one  of 
the  trustees  of  Wesleyan  University,  from 
which  institution  he  received  the  degree  of 
LL.  D.,  in  1892.  He  has  always  taken 
special  interest  in  educational  affairs,  his 
struggles  for  an  education  making  him  the 


more  desirous  of  giving  a  better  opportunity 
to  others,  that  they  may  not  experience 
such  hardships.  While  in  general  terms  it 
is  true  that  "  a  prophet  is  never  without 
honor,  save  in  his  own  country,"  yet  this 
can  hardly  be  said  of  Mr.  Fifer.  Those 
who  know  him  the  best,  and  have  known 
him  the  longest,  esteem  him  the  highest. 
He  is  in  the  prime  of  life,  of  vigorous  frame, 
capable  of  great  endurance,  and  full  of  ac- 
tivity. Success  has  crowned  his  efforts  in 
life,  and  he  has  acquired  a  competence  ade- 
quate to  the  wants  of  his  generous  but  mod- 
erate nature. 

REUBEN  MOORE  BENJAMIN.  Reu- 
ben Moore  Benjamin,  the  youngest  son 
of  Darius  and  Martha  (Rogers)  Benjamin, 
was  born  at  Chatham  Centre,  Columbia 
county,  New  York,  June  29,  1833.  His 
father  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  18 12,  and 
his  grandfather,  Ebenezer  Benjamin,  was 
a  captain  in  the  Revolutionary  army.  His 
father  and  his  maternal  grandfather,  Timo- 
thy Rogers,  were  of  English,  while  his  ma- 
ternal grandmother,  Sarah  (MooreJ  Rogers, 
was  of  Welsh  extraction.  His  ancestors  on 
both  sides  lived  in  Connecticut  in  the  colo- 
nial times.  He  was  fitted  for  college  at 
Kinderhook  Academy,  New  York,  and  in 
1853  was  graduated  with  honor  at  Amherst 
College,  Massachusetts.  He  was  principal 
of  Hopkins  Academy  at  Hadley,  Massachu- 
sets,  1853-54;  a  student  in  Harvard  Law 
School,  1854-55;  and  tutor  in  Amherst  Col- 
lege, 1855-56.  In  April,  1856,  he  came  to 
Bloomington,  Illinois,  and  in  the  following 
September,  upon  the  examination  certifi- 
cate of  Abraham  Lincoln,  was  licensed  to 
practice  law. 

Shortly  after  his  admission  to  the  bar  he 
became  a  partner  with  General  A.  Gridley 


HON.   R.   M.   BENJAMIN. 


THE   NEW  YORK 
PUBCIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,  LENOX 
TILD6f>  fDONDATtONS 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


27 


and  Colonel  J.  H.  Wickizer,  and  remained 
with  them  as  long  as  they  continued  to  prac- 
tice law.  In  1863  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  Thomas  F.  Tipton,  afterward  circuit 
judge  and  member  of  congress;  and  since 
then,  at  different  times,  he  has  been  asso- 
ciated as  partner  with  Jonathan  H.  Rowell, 
member  of  congress  for  several  terms,  Law- 
rence Weldon,  one  of  the  judges  of  the 
United  States  court  of  claims,  and  John  J. 
Morrissey.  In  1869  he  was  elected  a  dele- 
gate to  the  convention  that  framed  the 
state  constitution  of  1870,  and  served  on 
the  important  committees  of  bill  of  rights, 
municipal  corporations,  state  institutions, 
and  schedule.  The  bill  of  rights  (Article 
11),  as  drafted  by  him,  was  adopted  by  the 
full  committee  and  the  convention  with  but 
a  single  change.  He  introduced  and  caused 
to  be  incorporated  into  that  article  the  far- 
reaching  provision  that  "no  law — making 
any  irrevocable  grant  of  special  privileges 
or  immunities  shall  be  passed."  In  his 
speech  on  the  railroad  article  he  took  the 
position,  never  before  held  in  court,  that  the 
power  to  limit  the  rates  of  charges  of  com- 
mon carriers  as  the  public  good  may  require, 
is  a  governmental  power  which  no  legisla- 
ture can  irrevocably  abandon  or  bargain 
away  to  any  individual  or  corporation. 

In  1872  he  was  one  of  the  counsel  for 
the  people  in  the  celebrated  Lexington  case 
{Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad  Companv  v. 
People,  67  111.  II),  which  led  to  the  legisla- 
tion of  1873  prohibiting  e.xtortion  and  un- 
just discrimination  in  railroad  charges.  He 
was  subsequently  employed  as  special  coun- 
sel for  the  State  Board  of  Railroad  and 
Warehouse  Commissioners,  and  assisted  the 
attorney-general  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
warehouse  case   {Muitn   v.    People,   69   111. 

80),  which  was  taken  to  the  supreme  court 
2 


of  the  United  States,  and  being  there  af- 
firmed {Miinn  v.  Illinois,  94  U.  S.  113), 
became  the  leading  case  in  the  series  famil- 
iarly known  in  1876  as  the  "Granger 
cases."  These  cases  established  the  consti- 
tutional power  of  the  legislature  to  regulate 
railroad  and  warehouse  charges,  and  there- 
by protect  the  public  against  imposition. 
In  the  later  case  {Ruggles  v.  People,  91  111. 
256),  decided  in  1878,  the  supreme  court  of 
this  state  declared  broadly  that  the  legisla- 
ture has  the  power  to  pass  laws  establishing 
reasonable  maximum  rates  of  charges  by 
common  carriers  or  others  exercising  a  call- 
ing or  business  public  in  its  character,  or  in 
which'the  public  have  an  interest  to  be  pro- 
tected against  extortion  or  oppression.  In 
commenting  on  this  case,  the  Western 
Jurist  says:  "It  is  probable  that  the  people 
of  the  state  are  indebted  for  the  results  of 
this  agitation  as  given  in  the  above  decision 
to  Hon.  R.  M.  Benjamin,  of  Bloomington, 
in  a  greater  degree  than  to  any  other  single 
individual.  As  a  member  of  the  constitu- 
tional convention,  he  made  the  clearest  and 
most  convincing  argument  in  favor  of  the 
rights  of  the  people  which  was  delivered  in 
that  body,  and  as  special  counsel  for  the  peo- 
ple in  the  cases  of  the  Chicago  &  Alton 
Railroad  Company  v.  People,  and  Miinn  v. 
People,  have  very  materially  contributed  in 
establishing  the  principle  contended  for  by 
him  before  the  convention  and  established 
in  the  above  cases." 

The  ' '  Granger  cases  "  have  been  repeat- 
edly followed  by  the  supreme  court  of  the 
United  States:  Budd  \.  New  York  (1891), 
143  U.  S.  517;  Brass  v.  North  Dakota 
(1893).  153  U.  S.  391. 

In  1873  Mr.  Benjamin  was  elected  with- 
out opposition  to  the  office  of  county  judge 
of  McLean  county.     He  was  re-elected  in 


28 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1877,  and  also  in  1882.  His  judicial  apti- 
tude, the  soundness  of  his  decisions  and  the 
quiet  ease  with  which  he  dispatched  busi- 
ness won  and  held  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  the  bar  and  of  the  people.  He 
preferred  not  to  be  a  candidate  again  for 
the  office  and  accordingly  retired  from  the 
bench  at  the  close  of  his  third  term,  in  De- 
cember, 1886. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  law  depart- 
ment of  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  University 
(known  as  the  Bloomington  Law  School), 
in  1874,  Judge  Benjamin  was  appointed 
dean  of  the  law  faculty.  He  is  still  connected 
with  the  law  school,  having  charge  of  the 
subjects  of  real  and  personal  property  and 
constitutional  law.  He  has  published  the 
following  works:  "Students'  Guide  to  El- 
ementary Law,"  "  Principles  of  the  Law  of 
Contracts,"  and  "Principles  of  the  Law  of 
Sales,"  which  are  used  in  several  of  the 
leading  law  schools  of  the  country.  In  1880 
the  degree  of  LL.  D.  was  conferred  on  him 
by  Illinois  Wesleyan  University. 

Judge  Benjamin  was  married  at  Chat- 
ham, New  York,  September  15,  1856,  to 
Miss  Laura,  daughter  of  Mr.  David  G. 
Woodin,  who  for  many  years  was  county 
superintendent  of  schools,  of  Columbia 
county.  New  York. 

Probably  the  part  that  Judge  Benjamin 
took  in  the  constitutional  convention  had  a 
more  directly  beneficial  effect  upon  the  citi- 
zens of  Illinois  than  any  other  of  his  acts; 
and  the  arguments  he  brought  to  bear  be- 
fore that  body,  in  behalf  of  the  people,  to 
prevent  railroad  corporations  from  unjustly 
discriminating  against  any  section  of  the 
state  or  against  any  citizen,  displayed  such 
a  deep  knowledge  of  corporation  law  and 
have  had  such  an  important  bearing  upon 
the  construction  of   law   affecting  corpora- 


tions throughout  the  nation,  that  we  here- 
with reproduce  in  full  the  speech  to  which 
reference  has  previously  been  made  (De- 
bates of  Constitutional  Convention,  Vol.  2, 
p.  1641): 

Mr.  Chairman: — Corporations,  and  es- 
pecially railroad  corporations,  have  within 
the  last  few  years  assumed  and  exercised 
powers  incompatible  with  the  public  wel- 
fare; and  perhaps  there  is  no  danger  so  much 
to  be  apprehended,  and  if  possible  guarded 
against  by  people  of  this  state  as  that  which 
has  its  source  in  the  construction  placed  by 
the  courts  upon  what  are  called  legislative, 
or  charter,  contracts.  In  theory,  railroad 
corporations  are  created  for  the  public  good. 
In  practice,  they  become  oppressive  by 
being  allowed,  under  the  claim  of  charter 
contracts,  to  fix  the  rate  of  toll  for  the 
transportation  of  persons  and  property. 

Whenever  the  public  interests  demand 
the  construction  of  a  railroad,  the  legisla- 
ture, without  any  hesitancy,  authorizes  the 
corporation  to  take  private  property— the 
very  homestead — for  that  purpose.  When- 
ever the  same  public  interests  require  a  lim- 
itation of  rates  of  railroad  charges  the  plea 
is  set  up  that  the  legislature  has  no  power, 
whatever,  to  act  upon  the  matter.  The 
principle  of  public  benefit,  when  invoked  in 
aid  of  a  railroad,  is  all-powerful.  The  same 
principle,  when  appealed  to  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  people  against  imposition  and 
extortion,  has  hitherto  been  held  to  be  ut- 
terly powerless.  The  interest  of  individuals 
must  yield  to  that  of  the  public.  The  in- 
terest of  the  public  has  been  declared  to  be 
subordinate  to  that  of  railroad  corporations. 
And  when  we  ask  for  the  reason  of  this  dis- 
tinction between  individual  rights  and  cor- 
poration rights — when  we  ask  why  it  is  that 
public  interests,  although  paramount  to  in- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


29 


dividual  interests,  must  succumb  to  corpor- 
ate interests — we  are  told  that  the  legisla- 
ture has  made  contracts  whereby  it  has  ab- 
dicated in  favor  of  corporations  the  govern- 
mental powers  intrusted  to  it  by  the  sover- 
eign people.  I  say  governmental  powers, 
because  in  the  absence  of  a  charter  contract, 
the  power  of  the  legislature  to  regulate  and 
limit  the  tolls  which  the  owners  of  railroads 
may  lasvfully  take,  is  unquestionable. 

The  statutes  of  the  several  states  afford 
numberless  instances  of  legislative  limita- 
tion of  the  tolls  of  ferry,  bridge,  plank-road, 
and  turnpike  companies.  The  ordinances 
of  the  larger  cities  of  this  country  limit  the 
charges  of  hack,  omnibus  and  dray  lines. 
The  statutes  of  our  own  state  not  only  pro- 
vide for  the  condemnation  of  private  prop- 
erty for  the  sites  of  grist-mills  but  also  limit 
the  amount  of  tolls  to  be  taken  for  grinding 
at  these  mills.  In  some  of  the  states  the 
charges  of  innkeepers  and  the  fees  of  pro- 
fessional men,  and  in  nearly  all  the  states 
the  rates  of  interest  which  money-lenders 
and  bank  corporations  may  lawfully  take, 
are  regulated  and  limited  by  legislative  en- 
actment. The  power  to  make  these  laws, 
and  a  multitude  of  others  of  like  character, 
rests  on  the  right  and  duty  of  the  legislature 
to  protect  the  people  by  statutory  regula- 
tions against  imposition  and  extortions. 

Upon  authority  and  principle  it  may  be 
safely  asserted  that,  in  the  absence  of  charter 
contracts  to  the  contrary,  the  legislature 
may  from  time  to  time  regulate  and  limit 
the  tolls  which  railroad  companies  may  law- 
fully take,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  legis- 
lature may  limit  the  tolls  to  be  taken  by 
ferry,  bridge,  plank-road  and  turnpike  com- 
panies; in  the  same  manner  as  municipal 
authorities  may  regulate  and  limit  the 
charges  of  hack,  omnibus  and   dray  lines; 


in  the  same  manner  as  the  tolls  at  gristmills, 
the  charges  of  innkeepers,  the  fees  of  pro- 
fessional men,  and  interest  on  loaned  money 
may  be  regulated  and  limited.  These  are 
governmental  powers;  and  by  the  term 
"governmental"  I  here  mean  not  judicial 
but  legislative  powers.  To  declare  what 
the  law  is,  or  has  been,  is  a  judicial  power; 
to  declare  what  the  law  shall  be,  is  legisla- 
tive. The  law  is  applied  by  the  judicial 
department  and  made  by  the  legislative. 
It  is  both  the  right  and  the  duty  of  the  leg- 
islature not  to  await  the  action  of  the  judi- 
ciary, where  the  common  law  has  furnished 
no  adequate  remedies  for  existing  evils,  but 
to  take  the  initiative  and  place  limitations 
upon  tolls  and  charges,  and  fees  and  interest, 
whenever  such  limitations  are  essential  to 
the  public  good;  provided,  always,  that  the 
legislature  has  not  bartered  away,  absolutely 
beyond  recall,  to  extortioners,  the  govern- 
mental powers  whereby  it  might  otherwise 
protect  the  people  against  their  impositions. 
And  this  brings  us  directly  to  the  question, 
whether  or  not  the  governmental  powers 
entrusted  to  the  legislature,  to  be  exercised 
for  the  public  good,  as  occasion  may  require, 
are  the  subject  matter  of  contract,  of  mere 
bargain  and  sale. 

The  following  provision  was  incorpor- 
ated in  the  constitution  of  18 18,  and  re- 
tained in  that  of  1848: 

The  powers  of  the  government  of  the 
state  of  Illinois  shall  be  divided  into  three 
distinct  departments,  and  each  of  them  be 
confined  to  a  separate  body  of  magistracy, 
to-wit:  Those  which  are  legislative  to  one; 
those  which  are  executive  to  another;  and 
and  those  which  are  judicial  to  another. — 
Constitution  of   1848,  Article  2,  Section  i. 

I  maintain  that  under  this  constitutional 
provision,    which   has    been    in    force    ever 


30 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


since  this  state  was  organized,  the  legisla- 
ture has  had  no  power  as  a  party  to  make  a 
contract,  the  effect  of  which  would  be  to 
control  or  embarrass  its  governmental 
powers  and  duties.  To  hold  otherwise  is 
to  affirm  that  the  legislature  may  abdicate 
the  authority  and  relieve  itself  of  the  re- 
sponsibility conferred  and  imposed  upon 
this  department  of  the  government  by  the 
sovereign  people  of  the  state. 

"The  people  of  the  state  of  Illinois, 
grateful  to  Almighty  God  for  civil,  political 
and  religious  liberty  confided" — that  is  the 
word — confided  to  the  general  assemply 
those  powers  of  the  government  of  the 
state,  which  are  legislative  —  for  what  pur- 
pose.'' "  In  order  to  promote  the  general 
welfare  and  secure  the  blessings  of  liberty 
to  themselves  and  their  posterity."  At  the 
same  time  they  declared  in  the  bill  of 
rights  that  "  all  power  is  inherent  in  the  peo- 
ple, and  all  free  governments  are  founded 
on  their  authority  and  instituted  for  their 
peace,  safety  and  happiness."  The  legisla- 
ture of  a  state  is  in  no  just  sense  the  sover- 
eign of  the  state,  for  sovereignty  is  the 
parent,  not  the  offspring  of  government. 
The  sovereignty  belongs  to  the  people  of 
the  state  in  their  original  character  as 
an  independentccommunity.  All  political 
power  is  inherent  —  remains  in  the  people. 
In  the  language  of  Chief  Justice  Taney: 

"The  powers  of  sovereignty  confided 
to  the  legislative  body  of  a  state  are  un- 
doubtedly a  trust  committed  to  them,  to  be 
executed  to  the  best  of  their  judgment  for 
the  public  good;  and  no  legislature  can,  by 
its  own  act,  disarm  their  successors  of  any 
of  the  powers  or  rights  of  sovereignty  con- 
fided by  the  people  to  the  legislative  body 
unless  they  are  authorized  to  do  so  by  the 
constitution  under  which  they  are  elected. 


*  *  *  And  in  every  controversy  on  this 
subject,  the  question  must  depend  upon  the 
constituiion  of  the  state  and  extent  of 
power  thereby  conferred  in  the  legislative 
body." — Ohio  Life  Insurance  and  Trust 
Compa7iy  v.  Debolt,  i6  Howard,  431. 

The  power  to  regulate  the  reciprocal 
rights  and  duties  of  common  carriers  and 
private  citizens  who  may  desire  to  travel 
upon  highways  constructed  for  the  public 
use  is,  as  we  have  seen,  a  governmental 
power — one  of  the  attributes  of  sovereignty 
confided  to  the  legislature  to  be  exercised 
for  the  public  good.  And  where  is  the 
provision  of  our  state  constitution  which 
authorizes  one  legislature  to  disarm  a  suc- 
ceeding legislature  of  this  power,  the  proper 
exercise  of  which  we  have  been  taught  by 
sad  experience  is  so  essential  to  the  travel- 
ing public' 

In  another  case  Justice  Woodbury  says: 

"One  of  the  highest  attributes  and 
duties  of  a  legislature  is  to  regulate  public 
matters  with  all  public  bodies,  no  less  than 
the  community,  from  time  to  time,  in  the 
manner  which  the  public  welfare  may  ap- 
pear to  demand.  It  can  neither  devolve 
these  duties  permanently  on  other  public 
bodies,  not  permanently  suspend  or  aban- 
don them  itself,  without  being  usually  re- 
garded as  unfaithful,  and  indeed,  attempt- 
ing what  is  wholly  beyond  its  constitutional 
competency." — East  Hartford \.  Hartford 
Bridge  Company,  lo  Howard,  534. 

Now,  whether  railroad  corporations  are 
to  be  regarded  as  quasi-public  bodies,  or  as 
private  bodies,  forming  a  portion  of  the 
community,  I  maintain  that  the  regulation 
of  rates  of  toll  for  the  conveyance  of  per- 
sons and  property  upon  railroads — the  pub- 
lic highways — as  the  public  welfare  may  de- 
mand, is  a  legislative  duty,  the  permanent 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


31 


suspension  or  abandonment  of  which  is 
wholly  beyond  the  constitutional  compe- 
tency of  the  legislature.  Moreover,  a  grant 
by  a  public  agent  bound  in  the  most  solemn 
manner  not  to  throw  away  the  governmental 
interest  confided  to  it,  is  different  from  a 
grant  by  an  individual  who  is  master  of  the 
subject.  The  corporation  which  accepts 
from  the  legislature  e.xemption  from  gov- 
ernmental control,  knowing  that  it  is  deal- 
ing with  an  agent  bound  by  duty  not  to  im- 
pair a  public  right,  does  so  at  its  peril. 
Nay,  more;  the  corporation  which  accepts 
from  the  legislature  a  grant  of  any  essential 
attribute  of  sovereignty,  would  be  treated 
both  in  morals  and  in  law  as  a  party  to  a 
fraud  upon  the  inherent  rights  of  the  people. 

The  same  constitutional  provision  con- 
fides legislative  powers  to  one  body,  execu- 
tive powers  to  another,  and  judicial  powers 
to  another.  If  legislative  powers  may  be 
disposed  of  by  contract,  why  may  not  execu- 
tive and  judicial  powers  be  sold.-"  We  all 
recognize  the  principle  that  executive  and 
judicial  powers  are  entrusted  to  the  gov- 
ernor and  the  judges  to  be  exercised  by 
them  while  in  office,  and  then  turned  over- 
unimpaired  to  their  successors.  I  believe 
that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  the 
courts  of  this  country  will  settle  down  on 
the  firm  fundamental  principle  that  no  de- 
partment of  the  government,  be  it  legisla- 
tive, executive,  or  judicial,  can  abandon, 
diminish  or  bargain  away,  for  any  consider- 
ation, or  upon  any  pretense  whatever,  the 
governmental  powers  entrusted  to  it  by  the 
sovereign  people,  to  be  exercised  for  the 
promotion  of  the  general  welfare. 

When  the  people  in  this  state,  in  18 18, 
and  again  in  1848,  confided  to  the  general 
assembly  the  legislative  power  of  this  state, 
was   it   contemplated   that  the  agents  en- 


trusted with  these  governmental  powers 
would  sell  any  portion  of  them  to  other  or- 
ganizations, or  parcel  them  out  by  contract 
to  private  corporations.'  It  is  a  well-settled 
principle  that  where  a  trust  is  confided  to  any 
class  of  persons,  the  trustees  cannot  transfer 
that  trust  to  others.  "What  trust,  what 
confidence  is  more  sacred,  more  responsible, 
than  the  power  to  make  the  laws  of  a  free 
people?  The  power  is  not  only  delegated 
to  the  two  branches  of  the  legislature,  but 
there  is  an  obligation — a  duty  imposed  upon 
them  to  make  all  such  laws  as  are  necessary 
and  proper  for  the  interests  of  the  people, 
and  good  order  of  the  body  politic." 

The  language  of  our  State  constitution, 
reason,  and  sound  policy,  all  concur  in 
bringing  us  to  the  conclusion  that  the  law- 
making power  being  entrusted  to  the  legis- 
lature by  the  constitution,  to  be  exercised 
as  occasion  may  require,  for  the  promotion 
of  the  general  welfare,  cannot  be  perma- 
nently transferred  to  any  other  body.  If 
the  courts  will  fall  back  upon  this  principle, 
we  need  not  feel  alarmed  at  the  growth  and 
power  of  corporations.  They  are  danger- 
ous to  the  people  only  as  they  are  allowed, 
under  the  pretense  of  a  bargain,  to  appro- 
priate to  their  own  purposes  the  govern- 
mental  powers  confided  to  the  legislature. 

"  The  great  object  of  any  incorpor- 
ation," says  Chief  Justice  Marshall,  "is  to 
bestow  the  character  and  properties  of  in- 
dividuality on  a  collective  and  changing 
body  of  men." — Providence  v.  Billings,  4 
Peters,  562. 

The  creation  of  private  corporations — 
the  bestowal  of  the  attributes  of  individuality 
upon  these  ideal  creatures — placing  them, 
as  to  legal  rights,  on  the  same  footing  with 
natural  persons — are  proper  subjects  of  leg- 
islative  action.     And   we   readily  concede 


32 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


that  these  ideal  creatures — private  corpor- 
ations— cannot  be  arbitrarily  destroyed  by 
the  legislature,  and  that  the  rights  which 
they  may  possess  by  virtue  of  their  individ- 
uality or  existence  are  protected  by  the 
same  constitution,  which  is  the  Magna 
Charta  of  the  whole  people.  But  in  the 
language  of  Justice  Daniel: 

"  The  opinion  seems  to  have  obtained 
that  the  right  of  property  in  a  chartered 
corporation  was  more  sacred  and  intangible 
than  the  same  right  could  possibly  be  in  the 
person  of  a  citizen;  an  opinion  which  must 
be  without  any  grounds  to  rest  upon  until 
it  can  be  demonstrated  that  the  ideal  crea- 
ture is  more  than  a  person,  or  the  corporeal 
being  is  less."  IVesf  River  Bridge  Com- 
pany V.  Dix\  6  Howard,  533. 

The  legislature  may  irrevocably  dispose 
of  the  lands  and  public  buildings  and  other 
property  of  the  state.  These  are  the 
proper  subjects  of  contract  and  sale.  But 
a  legislative  contract  to  surrender  forever  to 
a  private  corporation  any  portion  of  the 
governmental  powers  of  this  State  is,  in  my 
opinion,  unconstitutional  and  void.  It  is 
unconstitutional,  because  the  constitutional 
provision,  which  has  been  in  force  here  ever 
since  we  had  a  state  organization,  confides 
— intrusts — these  powers  to  the  legislature 
to  be  exercised  for  the  promotion  of  the 
general  welfare,  not  to  be  bartered  away. 
It  is  void,  because  it  is  a  contract  in  vio- 
lation of  public  duty,  and  without  a  com- 
petent subject  matter.  The  legislature 
cannot  deal — cannot  traffic — with  a  sover- 
eign right  as  private  property.  Says  Justice 
Daniel: 

"Inevercan  believe  in  that,  to  my  mind, 
suicidal,  doctrine,  which  confers  upon  one 
legislature,  the  creatures  and  limited  agents 
of  the  sovereign  people,  the  power,  by   a 


breach  of  duty  and  transcending  the  com- 
mission with  which  they  are  clothed,  to  bind 
forever  and  irrevocably  their  creator,  for 
whose  benefit  and  by  whose  authority  alone 
they  are  delegated  to  act,  to  consequences 
however  mischievous  or  destructive. " — Oliio 
Life  Insurance  and  Trust  Company  v.  De- 
bolt,  16  Howard,  443. 

And,  right  here  let  me  ask.  From  what 
one  source  have  the  people  of  this  state 
suffered  more  mischievous  consequences 
than  from  the  free  exercise  of  the  assumed 
right,  on  the  part  of  the  legislature,  to  sell 
out  to  railroad  corporations  the  power  of 
fixing  and  exacting  from  the  community 
rates  of  toll  without  limitations  .'  In  resist- 
ing the  usurpations  of  these  wealthy  and 
powerful  corporations,  we  have  turned  our 
attention  too  much  to  that  clause  of  the 
constitution  of  the  United  States  which 
provides  that  no  state  shall  pass  any  law 
impairing  the  obligation  of  contracts,  and 
have  not  paid  sufficient  attention  to  that 
section  of  our  state  constitution  which  con- 
fides, and  only  confides,  the  legislative 
power  of  the  government  to  the  general 
assembly,  and  to  that  section  of  the  bill  of 
rights  which  declares  that  "all  power  is 
inherent  in  the  people."  We  must  not  for- 
get that  a  legislative  act  or  charter  may 
contain  unconstitutional  provisions.  The 
real  question  is  not  one  of  vested  rights 
under  a  contract,  but  one  of  constitutional 
power  to  make  the  contract.  The  legisla- 
ture cannot  change  the  constitution,  or 
make  a  new  constitution,  and  yet  it  would 
be  doing  just  this  if  it  could  limit  the  gov- 
ernmental powers  of  a  future  legislature. 
And,  therefore,  I  maintain  that  corporations 
are  subject  to  governmental  powers  the 
same  as  individuals — that  the  charges  of 
railway  corporations  can  be   regulated  and 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


33 


limited  by  legislative  enactment,  the  same 
as  the  tolls  of  ferry,  bridge,  plank-road 
and  turnpike  companies;  the  same  as  the 
charges  of  hack,  omnibus  and  dray  lines; 
the  same  as  the  tolls  of  millers,  the  charges 
of  innkeepers,  the  fees  of  professional  men 
and  interest  on  loaned  money.  The  powers 
to  make  these  regulations  and  limitations 
are,  unquestionably,  legislative,  govern- 
mental powers,  and  neither  these  nor  any 
other  legislative  powers  of  a  governmental 
nature  can  be  irrevocably  disposed  of  by 
contract  to  any  individual  or  corporation. 
There  are  and  can  be  no  vested  rights  of 
governmental  power  in  any  individual  or 
corporation  except  those  conferred  by  the 
constitution. 

Will  any  gentleman  take  the  position 
that  the  legislature  can  endow  an  individual 
or  corporation  with  the  vested  right  to  com- 
mit a  crime,  or  perpetrate  fraud,  or  prac- 
tice imposition  upon  the  public?  I  think 
not.  One  legislature  cannot,  by  contract 
or  otherwise,  prohibit  succeeding  legisla- 
tures from  enacting  laws  for  the  prevention 
and  punishment  of  crime,  fraud  and  imposi- 
tion. But  railroad  corporations  declare 
that  they  have  bought  from  the  legislature 
the  power  to  establish  and  exact  the  exor- 
bitant charges  they  are  now  every  day  ex- 
torting from  the  people.  Under  the  claim 
of  vested  rights  they  bid  defiance  to  —  I 
was  about  to  say  —  the  government;  but 
according  to  the  conceit  of  these  corpora- 
tions, there  is  no  government  that  can  con- 
trol and  regulate  and  limit  their  demands. 
Each  claims  to  be,  in  this  respect,  a  gov- 
ernment unto  itself  — a  sovereignty  within 
a  sovereignty. 

The  people  sooner  or  later  will  break 
away  from  the  theory  that  a  railroad,  or 
any  private  corporation,  can  have  a  vested 


right  in  any  governmental  power.  Let  the 
next  legislature  enact  substantially  the  rail- 
way laws  of  England,  regulating  and  limit- 
ing the  rates  of  freight  and  passenger  tariffs, 
and  I  firmly  believe  that  the  courts  would 
hold  that  such  a  re-assertion  of  govern- 
mental control  over  railroad  rates  is  not  an 
interference  with  vested  rights. 

The  time  was  when  city  or  other  munic- 
ipal corporations  claimed  that,  by  virtue 
of  their  charters,  they  held  vested  rights  in 
governmental  powers.  Even  now  the  leg- 
islature cannot  confiscate  the  private  prop- 
erty of  a  municipal  corporation,  or  change 
the  uses  of  its  private  funds  acquired  under 
the  public  faith.  But  the  courts  have  long 
since  held  that  the  legislature  cannot  trans- 
fer to  a  municipal  corporation  irrevocable, 
vested  rights  in  governmental  powers.  And, 
for  one,  I  am  ready  to  take  the  broad  posi- 
tion that  it  is  not,  and  never  has  been,  in 
the  power  of  the  legislature  of  this  state  to 
bind  its  governmental  capacities,  by  any 
arrangements  or  stipulations,  with  either 
public  or  private  corporations,  so  as  to  dis- 
able itself  from  enacting  laws  that  may  be 
deemed  essential  for  the  public  good.  The 
sovereign  people,  and  the  sovereign  people 
alone,  by  the  adoption  of  constitutional 
provisions,  can  restrict  and  bind  the  gov- 
ernmental capacities  of  the  legislature. 

After  Judge  Benjamin  ceased  speaking 
it  was  apparent  that  his  argument  pleased 
the  majority  of  his  colleagues,  several  of 
whom  rose  to  their  feet  and  sanctioned 
what  he  said  in  no  uncertain  terms.  The 
following  endorsements  are  copied  from  the 
reports: 

(Mr.  Ross)  —  Mr.  Chairman:  I  cheer- 
fully subscribe  to  the  views  of  the  gentle- 
man from  McLean  (Mr.  Benjamin).  I  think 
that  the  convention  and  the  people  of  the 


34 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


state  owe  him  a  debt  of  gratitude.  It  has 
the  true  ring  of  the  doctrine  that  should  be 
inculcated  by  all  our  statesmen. 

(Mr.  Bromwell)  —  Mr.  Chairman:  lam 
very  much  gratified  to  see  the  manner  in 
which  this  discussion  starts  in  this  conven- 
tion. There  have  been  doubts  expressed 
whether  this  convention,  upon  coming  to 
this  subject,  would  take  the  proper  stand  to 
secure  the  rights  of  the  people  which  have 
been  so  long  trifled  with  and  trampled 
under  foot  by  the  interpretation  of  the  law 
in  this  state;  and  I  agree  with  the  gentle- 
man from  Fulton  (Mr.  Ross)  that  the  com- 
munity at  large  owes  the  gentleman  from 
McLean  (Mr.  Benjamin)  thanks  for  the 
masterly  manner  in  which  he  has  demon- 
strated the  right  and  the  power  of  the 
people,  inhering  in,  ever  living,  and  ever 
present,  to  command  in  the  name  of  and 
for  the  people,  the  creatures  which  they 
have  put  on  foot,  the  corporations  which 
they  have  organized,  in  respect  to  the  terms 
upon  which  they  shall  enjoy  those  invalu- 
able franchises  which  they  are  lawfully  per- 
mitted to  enjoy. 


HON.  RICHARD  EDWARDS,  A.  M., 
LL.  D.  We  are  now  permitted  to 
touch  briefly  upon  the  life  history  of  one 
who  has  been  prominently  identified  with 
the  educational  affairs  of  Illinois  for  over 
thirty-five  years,  and  it  is  but  just  and  mer- 
ited praise  to  say  that  as  an  educator  he 
ranks  among  the  best  in  the  state,  and  has 
probably  done  as  much  as  any  other  man 
to  raise  the  standard  of  schools  in  this 
great  commonwealth.  He  has  been  in- 
structor and  director  in  academies  and  col- 
leges, and  as  state  superintendent  re-organ- 
ized and  developed  the   entire  school   sys- 


tem. Although  seventy-seven  years  of  age, 
he  still  takes  an  active  part  in  educational 
affairs,  being  at  the  present  time  connected 
with  the  Wesleyan  University  at  Bloom- 
ington. 

Dr.  Edwards  is  a  native  of  Wales,  born 
near  Aberystwith,  Cardiganshire,  December 
23,  1822.  His  father,  Richard  Edwards, 
Sr. ,  was  born  in  the  same  place,  in  1799, 
and  was  there  married  in  1821,  to  Miss  Ann 
Jones,  who  was  born  in  1801,  a  daughter 
of  William  and  Margaret  Jones,  farming 
people  of  the  parish  of  Lledrod,  Wales. 
The  Doctor's  paternal  grandfather  was 
Hugh  Richard,  a  stone  mason  by  trade. 
The  father  was  also  a  brick  and  stone  ma- 
son in  his  native  land.  In  1833,  he  and 
his  family  sailed  for  the  new  world  and 
first  located  in  Portage  county,  Ohio,  but 
in  1849  located  near  Oshkosh,  Wisconsin, 
where  he  purchased  a  farm  and  to  its  im- 
provement and  cultivation  he  devoted  his 
energies  until  called  from  this  life,  in  1852. 
He  left  six  children.  The  mother  died  in 
1876. 

Like  other  members  of  the  family,  Dr. 
Edwards  spoke  nothing  but  Welsh  on  coming 
to  this  country,  and  as  his  early  life  here 
was  devoted  to  the  arduous  task  of  clearing 
and  cultivating  wild  land,  he  had  little  op- 
portunity of  attending  even  the  primitive 
district  schools  of  those  early  days  in  the 
west.  Until  attaining  manhood  he  contin- 
ued to  assist  his  father,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  weeks  each  winter  when  pursuing 
his  studies  in  the  local  schools,  but  by  se- 
vere exertion  he  obtained  two  terms'  in- 
struction in  the  village  school  before  he  was 
twenty-two,  and  he  also  learned  the  carpen- 
ter's trade.  He  devoted  his  spare  moments 
to  reading,  of  which  he  was  fond,  and  with 
the  hope  of  fitting  himself  for  some  profes- 


HON.   RICHARD  EDWARDS. 


THE   NEW  WbK 
PUBLIC  UBMRT 

ASTOft^iENOX 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


37 


sion  he  went  to  Bridgewater,  Massachusetts, 
in  1844,  and  entered  the  State  Normal  at 
that  place.  Having  no  means,  he  lived  with 
extreme  self-denial,  teaching  at  intervals  to 
get  money  for  his  support  while  studying. 
In  this  way  he  completed  the  course  in  that 
institute  and  also  paid  his  way  through 
Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute  at  Troy, 
New  York,  where  he  graduated  with  honors. 
During  the  time  spent  at  Bridgewater,  he 
had  attracted  the  attention  of  New  England 
educators,  and  when  through  school  at  Troy 
his  services  were  in  demand  as  a  teacher. 
He  first  taught  in  the  Bridgewater  State 
Normal  and  then  became  principal  of  the. 
State  Normal  at  Salem,  Massachusetts,  then 
accepted  a  call  to  the  principalship  of  the 
St.  Louis  (Missouri)  Normal  School.  Later 
he  was  principal  of  the  St.  Louis  high 
school,  and  in  1862  he  was  given  charge  of 
the  State  Normal,  at  Normal,  Illinois,  where 
he  remained  for  thirteen  years  and  a  half, 
during  which  time  the  attendance  was  in- 
creased from  two  hundred  and  eighty  to 
seven  hundred  and  seventy-seven,  and  the 
fame  of  the  institute  as  one  of  model  con- 
trol, economical  management  and  beneficial 
results  became  wide  spread.  In  addition  to 
having  direct  charge  of  the  Normal  School, 
Dr.  Edwards  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
schools  throughout  the  state  and  his  services 
as  an  organizer  were  always  in  request.  He 
labored  incessantly  to  build  up  the  grand 
system  of  schools  which  is  now  such  a 
source  of  just  pride  to  the  people  of  Illi- 
nois, and  in  this  work  he  was  ably  sustained 
by  the  board  of  education  with  a  unanimity 
which  was  surprising,  considering  the  height 
to  which  political  prejudices  at  times  arose. 
When  Dr.  Edwards  announced  his  intention 
of  resigning  the  management  of  the  Normal 
School,  January   i,    1876,  a  strong  protest 


arose  from  both  Democrats  and  Repub- 
licans, but  to  no  avail,  and  with  the  resolu- 
tion accepting  his  resignation  it  was  put  on 
record  that  the  board  endorsed  his  wise 
management  and  control  of  the  school  and 
gave  him  credit  for  making  it  the  "best 
normal  school  on  the  continent." 

On  the  3d  of  July,  1849,  Dr.  Edwards 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Betsey  J. 
Samson,  a  native  of  Pembroke,  Massachu- 
setts, and  a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement, 
who  is  also  a  graduate  of  the  Bridgewater 
Normal  and  was  for  some  time  a  successful 
teacher.  The  children  born  of  this  union 
are  as  follows:  Annie  E.,  wife  of  Newton 
CJ  Dougherty,  superintendent  of  schools  in 
Peoiria;  Richard  A.,  cashier  of  First  National 
Bank,  of  Peru,  Indiana;  Ellen  S.,  was  for 
some,  years  a  teacher  in  Colorado  College, 
Colorado;  Mary  C,  wife  of  Dr.  D.  C.  Ty- 
ler, of  Clifton,  Kansas;  Rev.  Nicholas  T., 
now  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational 
church  of  Escondido,  California;  George 
H.,  a  member  and  manager  of  the  Edwards 
&  Sloan  Jewelry  Company,  of  Kansas  City, 
Missouri;  Walter  A.,  president  of  the 
Throop  Polytechnic  Institute,  of  Pasadena, 
California;  Owen  M.,  a  teacher  in  the  high 
school  of  Sandwich,  Illinois,  and  a  graduate 
of  the  Wesleyan  University;  and  Florence 
M.,  who  is  at  home  and  for  some  time  was  a 
teacher  in  Normal. 

At  Normal,  December  23,  1873,  Dr. 
Edwards  was  ordained  a  minister  of  the 
Congregational  church  by  the  Central  Illi- 
nois Congregational  Association,  and  on  re- 
signing the  presidency  of  the  Normal  School 
he  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  at  Princeton,  Illinois,  where  he 
remained  from  1876  until  1885,  his  success 
in  the  pulpit  being  fully  as  great  as  that  in 
the  school  room.      He  maintained  his  rela- 


38 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


tion  with  the  Congregational  church  until 
going  to  Carlinville,  when  he  united  with  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  joined  the  Alton 
Presbytery.  His  wife  and  family  now  hold 
membership  in  the  Second  Presbyterian 
church  of  Bloomington,  while  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Bloomington  Presbytery.  He 
had  joined  the  Second  Presbyterian  church 
of  Bloomington,  in  1863,  but  for  the  sake 
of  establishing  a  church  at  Normal,  where 
no  church  at  that  time  e.xisted,  he  united 
with  the  Congregationalists  and  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  Congregational  church  at 
that  place.  The  only  secret  society  with 
which  he  has  ever  been  connected  was  the 
Union  League  at  St.  Louis  during  the  war, 
at  which  time  Judge  Drake,  of  Washington, 
was  also  one  of  its  members. 

While  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
church  at  Princeton,  Dr.  Edwards'  con- 
nection with  educational  work  was  almost 
uninterrupted,  but  he  was  not  identified 
with  any  particular  school  or  college  except 
for  eighteen  months  when  acting  as  finan- 
cial agent  for  Knox  College,  Galesburg, 
Illinois.  He  was,  however,  constantly  ad- 
dressing teachers'  institutes,  giving  advice  to 
school  boards  and  counseling  young  instruct- 
ors and  students.  In  1886  he  was  elected 
on  the  Republican  ticket  as  superintendent 
of  public  instruction  for  the  state,  and  dur- 
ing his  four  years  in  office  the  school  law  was 
revised  and  codified  under  his  personal  di- 
rection; a  syllabus  of  work  for  teachers'  in- 
stitutes was  prepared  and  a  course  of  study 
for  country  schools  mapped  out,  a  com- 
mittee of  county  superintendents  assisting 
in  the  task.  The  energetic  manner  in  which 
the  office  was  administered  convinced  the 
legislature  that  the  state  superintendent  of 
schools  was  an  important  member  of  the 
government,  and  a  law  was  passed  enlarg- 


ing his  duties  and  powers,  and  by  the  same 
act  he  was  made  a  member  of  the  board  of 
trustees  for  the  State  University  at  Cham- 
paign and  the  State  Normal  at  Carbondale, 
which  did  much  to  bring  both  institutions 
to  a  high  state  of  perfection.  In  1890,  Dr. 
Edwards  was  renominated,  but  the  Republic- 
ans being  unsuccessful  that  year,  he  was  de- 
feated. 

On  the  expiration  of  his  term  in  1891, 
he  was  elected  to  the  presidency  of  Black- 
burn University  at  Carlinville,  Illinois,  and 
did  a  grand  work  in  building  up  that  insti- 
tution. He  had  a  very  able  corps  of  assist- 
ants, the  attendance  was  largely  increased, 
and  he  left  the  school  in  a  very  promising 
condition.  His  work  there  was  too  much 
for  him,  and  he  broke  down,  being  obliged 
to  resign  in  1893.  He  came  to  Blooming- 
ton, in  April  of  that  year,  but  was  present 
at  the  closing  exercises  of  the  class  of  1893. 
For  some  time  he  practically  lived  retired, 
though  he  lectured  in  different  parts  of  the 
state  at  educational  meetings  and  also 
preached  occasionally  as  the  occasion  re- 
quired, having  filled  most  of  the  pulpits  in 
the  towns  of  Normal,  Lexington  and  neigh- 
boring places.  In  1897,  he  was  offered 
and  accepted  the  chair  of  psychology  and 
ethics  in  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  University. 
He  is  now  giving  a  series  of  lectures  in  that 
institution  on  pedagogy,  or  the  science  of 
teaching,  and  is  particularly  well  adapted 
to  that  class  of  work,  having  made  it  a 
study  for  many  years.  Dr.  Edwards'  attain- 
ments as  a  scholar  and  his  remarkable  suc- 
cess as  an  instructor  have  been  recognized 
by  the  bestowal  of  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Arts  by  Harvard  University,  and  of  Doctor 
of  Laws  by  Shurtliff  College,  also  that  of  D. 
D.  from  Blackburn  University  of  Carlinville. 
He  is  an  active  and  prominent  member  of 


THE   Nl./   H-    K 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,  LENOX 
■nUJ^N  FOUNDATIONS 


NIMROD   KERRICK. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


41 


Alumni  Club,  and  recently  prepared  an  able 
paper  on  the  Congestion  of  Population  in 
Cities,  a  subject  that  required  a  thorough 
examination  of  facts.  In  many  ways  he  is 
a  remarkable  man,  strong  and  convincing 
as  a  public  speaker  and  familiar  with  every 
detail  of  the  public  school  problem,  and  is 
quick  of  thought  and  resolute  of  action. 
He  has  met  with  unbounded  success  where 
a  man  of  less  ability  would  have  failed,  and 
to-day  ranks  high  among  the  ablest  educa- 
tors of  the  state. 


REVEREND  NIMROD  KERRICK  was 
born  October  16,  1808,  in  Loudon 
county,  Virginia.  He  was  the  first  born  of 
Thomas  and  Phoebe  Kerrick.  He  died  in 
Bloomington,  Illinois,  December  13.  1897, 
having  completed  two  months  of  his  ninetieth 
year.  His  death  resulted  from  injuries  re- 
ceived three  months  before  by  falling  upon 
the  brick  pavement,  as  he  was  walking  from 
his  own  to  the  house  of  one  of  his  sons, 
near  by.  Up  to  the  day  of  this  accident  he 
was  in  good  health,  having  comfortable  use 
of  all  of  his  faculties.  Free  from  bodily 
pains,  clear  and  vigorous  in  mind,  he  en- 
joyed the  society  of  his  family  and  friends 
and  books  through  all  his  declining  years. 

Mr.  Kerrick's  boyhood  was  spent  on  a 
Virginia  farm.  Until  he  was  sixteen  years 
old  he  had  attended  school  but  a  few  months, 
all  told.  From  eleven  to  sixteen  he  had  but 
three  weeks  of  schooling;  this  was  a  source 
of  regret  to  him  all  his  life.  He  had  a  strong 
natural  thirst  for  knowledge  from  early 
youth.  Having  learned  to  read  well  while 
a  small  boy,  he  read  again  and  again  such 
few  books  as  were  within  his  reach;  some  of 
these  he  read  so  often  that  he  knew  them 
almost  as  well  as  if  he  had  himself  written 
them.     Probably  few  men  have  lived  who 


knew  the  Bible  as  well  as  Mr.  Kerrick;  he 
could  repeat  from  memory,  with  astonishing 
accuracy,  a  large  part  of  it. 

Mr.  Kerrick's  most  remarkable  memory 
and  his  long  life  together  made  him  a  real 
connecting  link  between  the  earlier  and 
modern  times  of  our  country.  He  well  re- 
membered General  LaFayette's  visit  to  the 
United  States  in  1824.  The  general  was  in 
Leesburg,  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  miles 
away,  but  young  Nimrod  could  do  just  as 
good  a  day's  work  on  the  farm  that  day,  and 
he  was  left  to  do  it  while  the  older  ones 
went  to  greet  the  hero. 

In  the  fall  of  1824  Mr.  Kerrick  moved 
with  his  parents  to  Muskingum  county, 
Ohio,  traveling  overland  in  a  wagon.  He 
often  spoke  of  meeting  on  this  trip  with 
General  Jackson,  near  Wheeling,  Virginia, 
who  was  going  to  Washington  to  make 
his  contest  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives tor  the  presidency,  the  election  hav- 
ing been  indecisive.  Mr.  Kerrick  cculd 
describe  minutely  the  general's  dress,  his 
carriage,  the  number  of  his  horses  and  at- 
tendants, the  exact  order  of  travel,  etc. 
Hearing  him  relate  the  circumstances  of 
this  meeting  one  could  almost  see  the  great 
Tennesseean  and  his  outfit.  ("My  mother 
was  a  comely  woman,  still  young,  and  the 
general  bowed  graciously  to  her  as  he 
passed.")  The  Kerricks  were  not  for  Jack- 
son for  president,  but  that  "gracious  bow" 
to  the  "comely  mother"  palliated  Jackson 
politics  to  a  sensible  degree;  one  could 
still  see  it  after  seventy  years,  as  Mr.  Ker- 
rick related  the  incident. 

The  family  remained  in  Ohio  but  two 
years,  then  pushed  on  to  southeastern  Indi- 
ana, which  region  became  their  perma- 
nent home.  The  first  settlement  was  made 
in   Franklin   county,  but  later,  lands    were 


42 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


taken  and  a  final  settlement   made  in  De- 
catur county. 

At  about  twenty  years  of  age  Mr.  Ker- 
rick  had  the  only  severe,  or  dangerous  sick- 
ness of  his  long  life;  recovering  from  this, 
but  not  yet  strong,  he  took  a  school  to 
teach,  and  thus  accidentally  discovered  his 
talent  which  was  for  teaching.  About  this 
time  he  met  Thomas  O'Brien,  a  noted  Irish 
school  master,  who  had  received  a  liberal 
education  in  the  old  world.  Mr.  Kerrick 
became  O'Brien's  pupil  and  later  his  assist- 
ant; the  two  became  fast  friends  and  in- 
separable companions.  The  meeting  with 
Thomas  O'Brien  was  most  fortunate  for 
Mr.  Kerrick.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive 
how  his  great  desire  for  learning  and  edu- 
cation could  have  been  gratified  in  that 
time  but  for  this  meeting.  O'Brien  pa- 
tiently and  faithfully  imparted  while  the 
younger  man  eagerly  absorbed  the  culture 
and  learning  that  the  former  had  acquired 
under  more  favorable  conditions  in  Europe. 

For  twenty  years  Mr.  Kerrick  was  a 
school  master;  he  was  eminently  successful. 
Near  Blooming  Grove,  Franklin  county,  en- 
terprising farmers  and  villagers  built  a  sub- 
stantial brick  house  for  his  school,  and  here 
he  taught  ten  consecutive  years.  He  was 
able  to  carry  his  pupils  far  beyond  the 
schools  of  his  time  and  region.  In  mathe- 
matics he  took  pupils  as  far  as  trigonome- 
try and  surveying,  and  many  of  them  be- 
came practical  surveyors.  His  name  be- 
came, and  is  to-day,  a  household  word  in  all 
that  region.  It  is  probably  not  outside  the 
truth  to  say  that  the  character  of  no  man, 
high  or  low,  was  so  deeply  impressed  upon 
the  people  of  the  White  Water  Valley  as 
the  character  of  Nimrod  Kerrick.  Many  of 
the  men  and  women  of  that  rapidly  growing 
population  received  all   the  schooling  they 


ever  had  from  Mr.  Kerrick,  and  many  more 
received  the  larger  part  of  their  schooling 
from  him.  His  unusual  attainments  and  his 
pronounced  instincts  for  teaching  afforded 
the  young  people  of  the  country  opportuni- 
ties that  were  not  common  in  that  time. 
Among  Mr.  Kerrick's  other  attainments  he 
wrote  a  beautiful,  plain,  uniform  "hand." 
The  writer  of  this  sketch  has  received  let- 
lers  written  within  two  or  three  years  past, 
by  a  man  who  was  a  pupil  of  Mr.  Kerrick 
in  that  brick  school  house,  and  it  would  re- 
quire an  expert  to  tell  that  writing  now  from 
Mr.  Kerrick's.  This  incident  is  mentioned 
to  illustrate  the  powerful  influence  of  a  true 
teacher  and  how  that  influence  is  perpetu- 
ated. 

Happily  for  the  great  company  of  young 
men  and  young  women  who  came  under  his 
influence  as  a  teacher,  Mr.  Kerrick's  influ- 
ence was  always  for  good.  He  was  a  man 
of  singularly  pure  character.  Through  all 
his  long  journey  of  life  he  walked  uprightly, 
worked  righteousness,  and  spoke  the  truth 
in  his  heart. 

Although  born  in  a  slave  state,  Mr.  Ker- 
rick cherished  from  boyhood  a  hearty  dis- 
like for  that  slavery.  He  was  a  Republican 
in  politics — a  total  abstainer  from  every 
kind  of  strong  drink.  He  was  of  medium 
height  and  weight  —  in  physical  form  a 
model,  muscular,  agile,  possessing  wonder- 
ful physical  endurance.  He  was  a  pro- 
foundly grateful  man  for  the  blessings  of  life 
— satisfied  and  thankful  always  for  simple 
food  and  plain  clothing,  but  the  best  of  any- 
thing was  never  too  good,  in  his  estimation, 
for  his  family. 

All  men,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor, 
were  men  and  brethren  to  him;  he  had 
equal  good  will  for  all  of  them;  he  respected 
men  as  men,  not  according  to  class  or  con- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


43 


dition.  He  was  strangely  oblivious  to  dis- 
tinctions among  men;  he  had  but  one  pur- 
pose toward  them  all,  which  was  to  do  them 
good,  and  he  approached  them  all,  whether 
of  high  or  of  low  degree,  in  the  same  re- 
spectful and  interested  spirit. 

Mr.  Kerrick  was  a  member  and  a  minis- 
ter of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He 
was  first  licensed  to  preach  in  1848.  In 
1858  he  entered  the  southeastern  Indiana 
conference.  His  first  circuit  had  nineteen 
appointments;  he  met  and  preached  at  all 
of  these  at  least  once  a  month.  His  last 
appointment  was  Liberty,  Union  county. 
At  the  close  of  his  ministry  there,  he  moved 
to  Woodford  county,  Illinois,  and  there- 
after his  occupation  was  farming,  the  same 
to  which  he  was  used  when  a  boy.  This 
move  and  change  of  occupation  was  made 
in  the  interest,  wholly,  of  his  family.  With- 
out doubt  his  own  inclination  would  have 
led  him  to  continue  in  professional  life;  but 
he  had  now  three  good-sized  boys,  and  for 
them  he  wisely  judged  that  the  farm  would 
offer  better  opportunities  than  the  town  for 
a  right  start  in  life.  No  preference  or  wish 
of  his  own  could  stand  for  a  moment  against 
what  he  considered  to  be  for  the  interest  of 
his  family. 

While  on  the  farm,  Mr.  Kerrick  still  con- 
tinued to  preach  often.  He  was  sought  for 
to  supply  vacancies  occasioned  by  sickness 
or  absence  of  regular  pastors.  He  was  a 
Methodist,  but  not  a  sectarian.  He  fre- 
quently preached  for  other  denominations, 
and  always  heartily  enjoyed  attending  the 
preaching  services  of  any  Christian  denom- 
ination. He  preached  many  funerals,  es- 
pecially of  soldiers  of  the  war  for  the  Union. 
By  younger  ministers  he  was  greatly  revered 
and  beloved,  and  he  was  often  able  to  help 
them,  which  gave  him  the  highest  pleasure. 


Mr.  Kerrick  was  married  May  4,  1839, 
at  Fairfield,  Franklin  county,  Indiana,  to 
Miss  Mary  Masters.  Miss  Masters  was  a 
native  of  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania, 
but  removed  when  a  young  woman  with 
her  parents  to  Indiana.  Five  children  were 
born  to  the  pair,  two  daughters  and  three 
sons;  the  eldest  daughter,  and  the  eldest  of 
the  family,  Mrs.  Cyrus  Mull,  resides  in 
Manilla,  Rush  county,  Indiana.  The  sec- 
ond daughter,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Bracken,  resides 
in  Brookville,  Franklin  county.  The  old- 
est son,  William  M.,  was  killed  in  battle, 
he  fell  in  the  desperate  charge  of  the  Union 
forces  upon  the  Confederate  works  at  Vicks- 
burg,  May  22,  1863.  He  was  barely  nine- 
teen years  old  when  he  was  killed.  The 
second  son,  Leonidas  H.,  and  the  young- 
est, Thomas  C. ,  reside  in  Bloomington, 
Illinois.  Mr.  Kerrick's  last  years  were  spent 
in  Bloomington.  Mrs.  Kerrick  survives, 
and  still  maintains  the  home  in  which  Mr. 
Kerrick  died.  At  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-three  years,  she  possesses  remarkable 
health  and  strength.  Her  well-known  and 
exceptionally  strong  mental  characteristics 
remain  to  her  unimpaired. 

We  have  given  herein  a  brief  and  very 
imperfect  account  of  a  remarkable  life;  a 
life,  it  is  true,  not  distinguished  by  deeds 
which  startle  or  which  bring  renown;  but  a 
long,  faithful,  unselfish  life,  full  of  labors 
for  the  enlightenment  and  uplifting  of  man- 
kind; a  life  that  touched  many  other  lives, 
and  always  to  do  them  good — -never  to  do 
them  harm. 

HON.  CHRISTIAN  F.  KOCH.  There 
is  no  element  which  has  entered  into 
our  composite  national  fabric  which  has 
been  of  more  practical  strength,  value  and 
utility  than  that   furnished   by  the  sturdy. 


44 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


persevering  and  honorable  sons  of  Germany, 
and  in  the  progress  of  our  union  this  ele- 
ment has  played  an  important  part.  In- 
tensely practical,  and  ever  having  a  clear 
comprehension  of  the  ethics  of  life,  the 
German  contingent  has  wielded  a  powerful 
influence,  and  this  service  cannot  be  held  in 
light  estimation  by  those  who  appreciate 
true  civilization  and  true  advancement. 

Among  Bloomington's  most  popular  citi- 
zens is  Mr.  Koch,  its  present  mayor,  who 
was  born  in  Eslingen,  Wurtemburg,  Ger- 
many, March  17,  1849,  and  when  a  child 
of  three  years  was  brought  to  this  country 
by  his  parents,  John  F.  and  Caroline  T. 
(Deininger)  Koch,  also  natives  of  the  Fa- 
therland. His  maternal  grandfather,  Johan 
Fredric  Deininger,  was  of  old  French  Hu- 
guenot stock,  his  ancestors  having  been 
driven  from  France  by  the  edict  of  Nantes 
and  taking  refuge  in  Wurtemburg.  The 
Deininger  family  can  be  traced  back  to 
1600.  John  Koch,  father  of  our  subject, 
belonged  to  a  family  of  very  extensive  mill 
owners,  and  he  himself  was  a  millwright  by 
trade,  being  one  of  the  first  in  Biooming- 
ton.  On  coming  to  the  new  world  the 
family  first  located  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  but 
five  years  later  took  up  their  residence  in 
Bloomington  when  its  population  was  not 
over  two  thousand.  For  a  number  of  years 
the  father  was  foreman  in  the  old  marble 
furniture  factory  in  this  city,  and  here  he 
died  in  1876.  The  mother  is  still  living 
and  makes  her  home  in  Bloomington.  Both 
were  faithful  members  of  the  German 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Christian  F.  Koch  began  his  education 
in  the  public  schools,  and  for  two  years  was 
a  student  in  the  Wesleyan  University  of 
Bloomington.  Having  learned  the  mill- 
wright's trade,    he  worked   with   his  father 


for  four  or  five  years  and  then  embarked  in 
the  grocery  business  on  West  Front  street, 
where  he  still  carries  on  operations  with 
marked  success.  In  1892  he  assisted  in  or- 
ganizing the  German  National  Loan  As- 
sociation, of  which  he  has  been  president 
from  the  start,  and  is  also  a  director  of  the 
Equitable  Loan  Association,  now  the  lead- 
ing association  of  the  kind  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  He  is  also  connected  as  presi- 
dent with  an  insurance  order,  known  as  the 
Pioneer  Reserve  Association,  which  now 
has  a  membership  of  one  thousand,  large- 
ly Bloomington  people,  but  subordinate 
branches  have  been  started  at  Peoria,  Lin- 
coln, Pontiac,  Normal  and  other  places, 
and  so  rapidly  is  it  growing  that  its  mem- 
bership will  undoubtedly  number  between 
two  and  three  thousand  before  the  close  of 
the  year. 

Mr.  Koch  married  Miss  Katie  L.  Feisel,  a 
daughter  of  Rev.  Jacob  Feisel,  a  prominent 
pioneer  Methodist  Episcopal  minister  of 
this  state,  who  had  charge  of  a  German  con- 
gregation in  Bloomington  at  an  early  day, 
and  was  a  presiding  elder  for  a  number  of 
years.  He  died  about  three  years  ago  in 
Quincy.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Koch  were  born 
two  daughters:  Lulu  C,  now  the  wife  of 
H.  W.  Peters,  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri;  and 
Emma  K.,  who  died  in  June,  1896. 

Since  attaining  his  majority,  Mr.  Koch 
has  been  prominently  identified  with  the 
Republican  party,  and  served  as  alderman 
from  the  third  ward  from  1883  until  1887. 
In  the  spring  of  1890,  he  was  urged  to  ac- 
cept the  nomination  for  mayor  on  the  Re- 
publican ticket,  and  though  he  made  no 
particular  effort,  he  was  elected  by  a  hand- 
some majority  over  a  prominent  man  in 
the  Democratic  field.  Never  were  the  reins 
of  city  government  in  more  capable  hands, 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


45 


and  one  noteworthy  feature  of  his  adminis- 
tration was  the  final  settlement  with  the  Jen- 
ney  Electric  Light  Company,  which  had  es- 
tablished a  plant  here  and  taken  advantage 
of  the  people  in  various  ways.  It  was  nec- 
essary to  annul  the  contract  with  them, 
and  it  finally  resulted  in  a  settlement  under 
which  the  city  came  into  absolute  possession 
of  a  plant  at  a  cost  of  nineteen  thousand 
dollars  less  than  the  original  contract  price. 
He  was  not  re-elected  at  the  succeeding 
election  as  it  was  his  intention  to  withdraw 
from  politics.  In  the  spring  of  1897  a  re- 
organization of  the  city  under  the  general 
law  was  strongly  agitated  by  business  men 
and  citizens  in  general  as  there  had  been 
some  dissatisfaction  with  the  special  charter 
and  the  preceding  administration.  There 
seemed  to  be  a  general  disposition  on  the 
part  of  the  people  to  turn  over  a  new  leaf 
to  the  extent  of  getting  under  the  general 
law  and  a  broader  government,  better 
adapted  to  the  advanced  needs  and  wants 
of  the  city,  and  a  general  change  in  the 
council  and  administration  of  the  city. 
This  resulted  in  Mr.  Koch  being  again 
strongly  urged  to  enter  the  field  as  the  Re- 
publican nominee  for  mayor.  His  nomina- 
tion was  uncontested  and  he  was  triumph- 
antly elected.  He  has  since  worked  under 
the  new  form  of  government,  and  during 
this  administration  many  improvements 
have  been  made  in  the  city,  including  the 
erection  of  a  new  city  hall.  It  is  one  of  the 
best  paved  cities  of  its  size  in  the  country, 
having  now  about  twenty-four  miles  of 
paved  streets  and  having  expended  for  pav- 
ing twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  the  proper- 
ty owners  fifty  thousand,  making  a  total  of 
seventy-five  thousand  dollars,  during  the 
two  years  of  Mr.  Koch's  incumbencey  of 
the  office. 


Mr.  Koch  and  his  family  hold  member- 
ship in  the  German  Methodist  church,  of 
which  he  is  a  trustee  and  treasurer,  and  in 
which  he  has  also  served  as  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  school.  Socially,  he  is  quite 
prominent;  is  a  member  of  Mozart  Lodge, 
F.  &  A.  M;  and  is  past  chancellor  of  Blucher 
Lodge,  K.  P.,  of  which  he  is  one  of  the  found 
ers,  having  been  a  member  of  the  mother  lodge 
— Damon,  No.  10.  He  is  president  of  the 
Bloomington  Colliseum  Association,  which 
has  erected  a  building  at  a  cost  of  about 
twenty  thousand  dollars.  He  is  emphatic- 
ally a  man  of  enterprise,  positive  character, 
indomitable  energy,  strict  integrity  and  lib- 
eral views,  and  is  thoroughly  indentified 
with  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  his  adopt- 
ed city  and  state. 


JOHN  MATHER  FOSTER  is  one  of  the 
most  prosperous  farmers  and  influential 
citizens  of  Dale  township,  McLean  county, 
Illinois.  His  career  has  been  most  remark- 
able, yet  his  success  is  by  no  means  the 
result  of  fortunate  circumstances,  for  it  has 
come  to  him  through  energy,  labor  and  per- 
severance, directed  by  an  evenly  balanced 
mind  and  by  honorable  business  principles. 
He  is  a  man  of  keen  discrimination  and 
sound  judgment,  and  in  business  affairs  is 
energetic,  prompt  and  notably  reliable. 

Mr.  Foster  was  born  in  Meigs  township. 
Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  May  30,  1833,  a 
son  of  John  and  Celia  Ann  (Ballou)  Foster, 
natives  of  New  Hampshire  and  Ohio  respect- 
ively. The  paternal  grandfather,  John 
Mathers  Foster,  Sr.,  a  descendant  of  In- 
crease Mather,  of  colonial  fame,  was  edu- 
cated for  the  ministry,  but  preferring  the 
legal  profession,  he  afterward  read  law. 
From  New  Hampshire  he  removed  to  Mas- 


46 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


sachusetts,  and  when  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject was  eleven  years  old  went  to  Ohio, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
chosen  profession  and  also  taught  school. 
He  died  in  that  state.  He  married  Mrs. 
Alice  (West)  Carlyle,  who  was  the  grand- 
mother of  our  subject.  He  had  one  brother, 
William  S.  Foster,  who  served  as  a  colonel 
in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

John  Foster,  father  of  our  subject,  came 
from  New  Hampshire  to  Indiana  at  the 
age  of  eleven  years,  remaining  until  the  age 
of  seventeen,  when,  finding  that  the  man 
he  was  working  for  was  not  reliable  finan- 
cially, he  left  without  any  money  and 
walked  back  to  his  old  home  in  Ohio,  in 
company  with  his  uncle,  William  Stevens, 
sleeping  out  many  nights  on  the  way,  or  in 
barns  whenever  he  could  get  permission. 
On  reaching  home  he  began  work  for  his 
uncle.  Col.  William  Foster,  and  with  the 
money  thus  earned  paid  off  an  indebtedness 
of  three  dollars  and  seventeen  cents.  He 
then  had  ten  dollars  in  silver  remaining, 
and  with  this  he  began  life  for  himself.  At 
first  he  worked  at  any  employment  which 
he  could  find,  and  finally  saved  enough 
money  with  which  to  purchase  a  small 
tract  of  land  at  one  dollar  and  a  quarter 
per  acre.  This  he  cleared  and  improved 
himself,  and  after  building  a  little  home 
thereon,  he  married  Miss  Celia  Ann  Ballou, 
a  daughter  of  Welcome  Ballou,  a  repre- 
sentative of  a  prominent  pioneer  family  of 
Ohio  from  Rhode  Island.  Her  mother, 
who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Arelia  Taft, 
was  a  native  of  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Fos- 
ter brought  his  bride  on  horseback  to  the 
home  he  had  prepared  for  her,  and  as  he 
prospered  in  his  farming  operations  he 
added  to  his  place  from  time  to  time  until 
he  had  a  good  sized  farm,    which  he  finally 


sold  to  his  only  brother,  Dan  Foster,  for 
ten  thousand  dollars.  Upon  that  place  our 
subject  was  born.  The  father  went  to  New 
York  and  invested  seven  thousand  dollars 
in  a  stock  of  goods,  which  he  took  to  Cum- 
berland, Ohio,  opening  up  a  store  at  that 
place.  Although  this  was  his  first  experi- 
ence in  mercantile  trade,  he  prospered  in 
his  new  undertaking  and  continued  in  busi- 
ness there  for  several  years.  He  had  the 
entire  confidence  and  respect  of  his  fellow 
citizens  and  was  called  upon  to  fill  many 
township  offices.  On  selling  his  store  he 
purchased  a  farm  adjoining  the  town,  and 
there  he  continued  to  make  his  home  until 
coming  west,  though  he  retained  the  place 
for  some  time  afterward,  it  being  finally 
sold  by  our  subject  for  thirty  thousand  one 
hundred  dollars.  He  was  extensively  in- 
terested in  sheep  raising,  and  one  year  sold 
ten  thousand  pounds  of  wool  for  over  ten 
thousand  dollars.  In  Vermont  he  pur- 
chased seventy-three  of  the  Spanish  merino 
sheep,  for  which  he  paid  seven  thousand  six 
hundred  dollars,  which  he  took  to  his  home, 
where  he  already  had  from  five  hundred  to 
one  thousand  Pennsylvania  merinos  and 
blacktops.  He  was  the  first  in  his  com- 
munity to  import  those  animals;  he  crossed 
the  breeds  and  has  sold  many  as  high  as 
three  hundred  dollars  a  head.  In  1866  Mr. 
Foster  came  to  McLean  county,  in  com- 
pany with  his  wife's  parents  and  our  sub- 
ject, having  the  year  previous  purchased 
the  farm  in  Dale  township  now  owned  and 
occupied  by  his  son,  who  at  that  time  was 
given  charge  of  the  place,  while  he  practically 
lived  retired  for  many  years.  He  also  pur- 
chased nine  hundred  and  forty-five  acres 
in  Ford  county,  which  afterward  became 
the  property  of  our  subject's  sons,  Charles, 
John,    Loren   and  Ivan.      It  is  under  a  high 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


47 


state  of  cultivation  and  pleasantly  located 
near  Gibson  City.  The  father  had  charge 
of  that  farm  until  failing  eyesight  rendered 
him  almost  blind.  He  always  lived  with 
our  subject,  and  here  died  May  ii,  1898, 
when  almost  ninety-two  years  of  age,  his 
birth  having  occurred  November  12,  1806. 
He  was  a  shrewd,  capable  business  man, 
and  his  advice  was  often  sought  by  his 
neighbors  and  friends,  who  held  him  in  high 
regard  on  account  of  his  sterling  worth  and 
many  excellencies  of  character.  Politically, 
he  was  first  a  Whig  and  later  a  Repub- 
lican. His  estimable  wife,  who  was  born 
June  27,  1812,  is  still  living.  Of  the  five 
children  born  to  them,  three  reached  years 
of  maturity,  but  only  our  subject  and  Mrs. 
Eliza  McClellan,  of  Champaign  county,  Illi- 
nois, are  now  living. 

During  his  boyhood  and  youth,  John  M. 
Foster,  of  this  review,  received  a  good  prac- 
tical education  and  for  two  years  he  success- 
fully engaged  in  teaching  school.  When  his 
father  retired  from  mercantile  life  and  pur- 
chased his  farm  near  Cumberland  our  sub- 
ject was  given  charge  of  the  sheep,  which 
was  a  very  responsible  position.  He  dis- 
charged his  duties  in  a  highly  satisfactory 
manner,  however,  and  displayed  excellent 
business  ability  in  the  sale  of  both  sheep 
and  wool.  In  his  native  state,  Mr.  Foster 
married  Miss  Electa  B.  Moore,  of  Noble 
county,  Ohio,  who  died  before  he  came 
west,  leaving  one  son,  Charles  M.,  a  pros- 
perous farmer  of  Ford  county,  Illinois,  who 
was  four  years  old  when  brought  by  his  fa- 
ther to  this  state.  Mr.  Foster  was  again 
married,  April  i,  1868,  his  second  union 
being  with  Miss  Alice  King,  who  was  born 
August  29,  1847,  a  daughter  of  William 
and   Ann    King,  of   Bloomington    township. 

Four    children    blessed    this    union:     John 
3 


Stanhope,  born  October  9,  1870,  married 
Ella  Vaughan,  and  is  now  engaged  in  farm- 
ing in  Ford  county;  Loren  K. ,  born  March 
25,  1875,  married  Myrta  Moberly,  by  whom 
he  has  one  child,  and  now  has  charge  of  his 
father's  farm;  Ivan  V.,  born  August  22, 
1879,  died  January  14,  1897;  and  Alice  Bal- 
lon, born  December  14,  1882,  is  at  home. 
After  successfully  managing  his  father's 
farm  for  a  few  years,  Mr.  Foster  was  given 
a  small  place,  to  which  he  has  added  from 
time  to  time  as  his  financial  resources  have 
increased  until  he  now  has  almost  eight 
hundred  acres  of  valuable  land  in  Bloom- 
ington and  Dale  township,  being  one  of  its 
heaviest  tax  payers.  He  generally  raises 
from  five  to  twenty  thousand  bushels  of 
corn  annually  and  now  has  sixty  thousand 
bushels  upon  the  place,  the  crops  of  three 
years.  As  a  stock  raiser  he  has  also  met 
with  excellent  success,  making  a  specialty 
of  hogs  and  shorthorn  cattle.  In  his  po- 
litical views,  Mr.  Foster  has  always  been  a 
stalwart  Republican,  and  was  a  great  ad- 
mirer of  President  Garfield,  of  whom  his 
mother  was  a  second  cousin;  he  has  never 
cared  for  political  preferment  but  for  twen- 
ty-five years  has  most  creditably  and  ac- 
ceptably served  as  school  director  in  his 
district.  In  the  progress  of  his  community 
he  has  ever  manifested  a  deep  interest  and 
has  ever  taken  his  part  in  support  of  those 
measures  calculated  to  prove  of  public 
benefit. 


GEORGE  B.  KELSO,  M.  D.  Canada  has 
furnished  to  the  United  States  many 
bright,  enterprising  young  men  who  have 
left  the  Dominion  to  enter  the  business  and 
professional  circles  of  this  country.  Among 
this  number  is  Dr.  Kelso,  proprietor  of  the 


48 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Bloomington  Home  Sanitarium  and  a  lead- 
ing physician  of  that  city.  He  inherited 
somewhat  of  the  strong,  rugged  and  per- 
severing characteristics  developed  by  his 
earlier  environment;  which,  coupled  with  the 
livelier  impulses  of  his  Celtic  blood,  made 
him  at  an  early  day  seek  wider  fields  in 
which  to  give  full  scope  to  his  ambition  and 
industry — his  dominant  qualities. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  Bruce,  Ontario, 
Canada,  June  i6,  iS6o,  and  is  a  son  of 
Thompson  and  Mary  (Cameron)  Kelso. 
The  father  was  born  in  the  north  of  Ireland, 
of  Scotch  ancestry,  the  family  having  fled 
thither  from  their  old  home  in  Scotland  on 
account  of  persecution  during  Cromwell's 
reign  in  England.  When  a  young  man,  the 
father  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  took  up  his 
residence  near  Ottawa,  Canada.  There  he 
married  Mary  Cameron,  who  was  born  in 
Cornwall,  Canada,  and  belonged  to  an  old 
Scotch  family.  Soon  after  their  marriage 
they  removed  to  Bruce  when  that  region 
svas  an  almost  unbroken  wilderness,  being 
numbered  among  its  pioneers.  There  the 
father  developed  a  farm,  on  which  he  and 
his  wife  still  reside.  In  early  life  they 
united  with  the  Episcopal  church,  but  now 
hold  membership  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  with  which  he  is  officially  con- 
nected. Politically  he  is  a  Liberal,  and 
has  taken  quite  an  active  and  prominent 
part  in  local  politics,  and  has  been  called 
upon  to  fill  a  number    of  official  positions. 

Dr.  Kelso  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth 
in  a  family  of  ten  children,  and  in  the  com- 
mon and  high  schools  of  his  native  prov- 
ince, he  acquired  a  good  practical  educa- 
tion, which  well  fitted  him  to  engage  in 
teaching — a  profession  which  he  successfully 
followed  for  three  and  a  half  years  as 
principal    of    the    village    school.       In    the 


meantime  he  read  medicine;  and  later  pur- 
sued a  three,  years  course  in  the  medical 
department  of  the  University  of  Michigan, 
at  Ann  Arbor,  where  he  was  graduated  in 
1886.  He  first  opened  an  office  at  New- 
berry, Upper  Michigan,  and  during  the 
year  and  a  half  he  spent  at  that  place  was 
quite  successful,  there  being  a  great  deal  of 
surgical  work  to  be  done  in  the  lumber 
camps.  He  next  engaged  in  practice  for  a 
short  time  at  Ishpemmg,  Michigan,  near 
Marquette,  but  as  the  climate  did  not  agree 
with  his  health,  he  was  forced  to  leave  a 
good  practice  and  come  further  south. 

In  October,  1886,  Dr.  Kelso  married 
Dr.  Anna  E.  Caldwell  Clark,  who  had 
graduated  with  him  at  Ann  Arbor.  She  is 
a  native  of  Oxford,  Maine,  and  prior  to  read- 
ing medicine  had  received  a  good  classical 
and  musical  education  in  the  east  and 
abroad.  In  the  fall  of  18S8  they  came  to 
Bloomington,  and  at  first  engaged  only  in 
general  practice.  Being  among  the  first 
lady  physicians  in  the  city,  Mrs.  Kelso  was 
soon  at  the  head  of  a  good  practice,  and 
in  1894  they  established  the  Bloomington 
Home  Sanitarium,  which  they  have  since  so 
successfully  conducted.  They  started  in  a 
small  way,  but  as  their  patronage  steadily 
increased,  they  enlarged  their  facilities  in 
1897  by  adding  fifteen  rooms  to  their  build- 
ing for  surgical  work,  and  also  a  fine  oper- 
ating room,  with  all  necessary  appliances. 
They  are  now  well  prepared  to  treat  all 
kinds  of  surgical  and  medical  cases,  and 
take  both  male  and  female  patients.  The 
sanitarium  is  centrally  located,  and  is  the 
only  one  in  the  city,  and  besides  having  a 
fine  home  patronage,  their  patients  come 
from  all  parts  of  Illinois  and  surrounding 
states. 

Fraternally,    both    the    Doctor  and   his 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


49 


wife  are  members  of  the  Central  Illinois 
Homeopathic  Medical  Society.  He  is  a 
close  and  thorough  student,  a  man  of  deep 
research,  and  his  investigations  into  the 
science  of  medicine  and  his  skillful  applica- 
tion of  the  knowledge  he  has  thereby  ob- 
tained has  won  him  a  place  in  the  foremost 
ranks  of  the  medical  fraternity.  Among 
the  secret  societies  to  which  he  belongs  are 
Bloomington  Lodge,  No.  44,  F.  &  A.  M. ; 
Remembrance  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F. ,  in  which 
he  has  passed  all  the  chairs;  and  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  fraternity.  At  present  he  is 
serving  as  medical  examiner  for  the  Odd 
Fellows  Lodge.  Besides  his  sanitarium,  he 
owns  a  pleasant  home  in  Bloomington, 
where  he  and  his  wife  delight  to  entertain 
their  many  friends. 


HORACE  W.  ELDER,  M.  D.,  is  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  medicine  and 
surgery  in  Bloomington,  and  has  that  love 
for  and  devotion  to  his  profession  which 
has  brought  to  him  success  and  won  him  a 
place  among  the  ablest  representatives  of 
the  medical  fraternity  in  the  county.  He 
was  born  in  Bloomington,  November  28, 
1859,  and  is  a  son  of  Dr.  William  A.  Elder, 
now  deceased,  who  was  a  prominent  and 
successful  physician  of  that  city.  The  fa- 
ther was  a  native  of  Waterloo,  New  York, 
and  on  coming  west  when  a  young  man, 
first  located  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  read 
medicine  and  graduated  from  the  St.  Louis 
Medical  College.  He  came  to  Blooming- 
ton and  for  many  years  was  one  of  the 
leading  and  influential  citizens  of  the  place, 
as  well  as  one  of  its  ablest  medical  prac- 
titioners. He  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  public  library  of  the  city  and  was  a 
faithful  member  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 


church.  He  died  January  3,  1895,  hon- 
ored and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  was  in  her  maid- 
enhood Miss  Mary  E.  Owen,  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  Robert  C.  Owen,  of  Homer,  New 
York.  She  is  still  living  in  Bloomington 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church. 
Our  subject  is  the  oldest  of  the  three  chil- 
dren of  the  family,  the  others  being  Lil- 
lian, wife  of  J.  P.  Walker,  of  Blooming- 
ton; and  Josephine  M.,  at  home. 

During  his  boyhood  and  youth  Dr. 
Elder,  of  this  review,  attended  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  city  and  was  gradua- 
ted from  the  high  school  in  1876.  He 
then  studied  pharmacy  for  two  years  in  the 
Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  and  on 
his  return  to  Bloomington  was  employed  as 
a  drug  clerk  until  1885,  when  he  embarked 
in  the  drug  business  on  his  own  account, 
conducting  a  store  there  for  six  years.  Go- 
ing to  St.  Louis,  he  took  a  two  years 
course  in  the  Marion  Simms  Medical  Col- 
lege and  one  year  at  the  Barnes  Medical 
College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
the  spring  of  1893.  The  following  year  he 
spent  in  Chicago,  and  in  1894  went  to  Phila- 
delphia, taking  a  post-graduate  course  at 
Jefferson  Medical  College.  Five  years  of 
preparation  had  well  fitted  him  for  his 
chosen  profession,  and  on  opening  an  office 
in  Bloomington  in  1895,  he  was  not  long  in 
building  up  an  excellent  practice.  After  the 
death  of  his  father  many  of  his  old  patients 
came  to  our  subject,  and  he  now  has  quite 
an  extensive  private  practice.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  medical  staff  of  the  Dea- 
coness Hospital,  and  also  has  charge  of  the 
general  practice  in  the  Bloomington  Free 
Polyclinic,  of  which  he  is  one  of  the 
founders  and  which  has  proved  quite  a  suc- 
cess, having  between   five   and  six  thousand 


50 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


treatments  the  first  year.  He  gives  his  en- 
tire attention  to  the  duties  of  his  profes- 
sion, is  examining  physician  for  a  number 
of  prominent  insurance  companies,  and  is 
a  prominent  member  of  the  McLean  County 
Medical  Society.  He  is  a  progressive  phy- 
sician and  keeps  well  posted  on  the  latest 
discoveries  and  theories  in  the  science  of 
medicine  and  surgery.  Of  a  pleasant,  ge- 
nial manner,  he  makes  many  friends,  is 
quite  prominent  socially,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Royal  Arcanum. 

On  the  7th  of  April,  1885,  Dr.  Elder 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ella  C. 
Slater,  a  daughter  of  Mrs.  G.  B.  Slater,  of 
Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  they  now  have 
one  son,  Edmund  W.  The  Doctor  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  St.  Mathews  Episco- 
pal church,  and  in  the  best  social  circles  of 
the  city  occupy  an  enviable  position. 


v/  TOHN  A.  SCHNEIDER.  A  brilliant  ex- 
yJ  ample  of  a  self-made  American  citizen 
and  a  grand  exemplification  of  the  progress 
that  an  ambitious  foreigner  can  make  in  this 
country  of  unbounded  opportunities,  is 
shown  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Schneider,  one  of 
the  leading  German-American  residents  of 
Bloomington.  His  singular  success  is  due 
to  his  own  energy  and  the  high  ideal  which 
his  lofty  and  laudable  ambition  placed  be- 
fore him.  Success  in  any  walk  of  life  is  an 
indication  of  earnest  endeavor  and  persever- 
ing effort, — characteristics  that  our  subject 
possesses  in  an  eminent  degree. 

Mr.  Schneider  was  born  in  Deidesheim, 
Bavaria,  Germany,  May  29,  1845,  but  the 
ancestral  home  of  the  family  was  at  Ruperts- 
berg.  His  grandfather,  Michael  Schneider, 
was  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  influen- 
tial citizens  of  that  place,  and  at  the  time  of 


his  death  was  serving  as  burgomaster  or 
mayor.  Many  of  the  cousins  of  our  subject 
still  hold  prominent  positions  there.  His 
father,  Henry  Schneider,  owned  large  vine- 
yards and  was  quite  extensively  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  wines  and  in  distilling 
liquors,  in  which  he  also  dealt.  At  the  time 
of  his  removal  to  Deidesheim  he  had  to  pay 
one  thousand  dollars  for  citizenship,  al- 
though that  place  was  only  a  mile  from  his 
old  home  in  Rupertsberg.  He  married 
Katherine  Baer,  who  belonged  to  an  old 
Lutheran  family,  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  seven  children,  all  of  whom  are  still 
living,  namely:  Henry,  who  served  for 
nine  years  in  the  German  army  and  partici- 
pated in  the  Franco-Prussian  war;  John  A., 
our  subject;  Bernhardt,  a  resident  of  Bloom- 
ington; Katherina;  Michael;  Elizabeth;  and 
Theresa.  All  reside  in  Germany  with  the 
exception  of  our  subject  and  Bernhardt. 
The  father  died  in  1S93,  the  mother  in 
1863. 

For  seven  years  during  his  boyhood  John 
A.  Schneider  attended  the  public  schools  of 
his  native  place,  for  a  time  was  a  student  in 
a  night  school,  and  pursued  his  studies  un- 
der private  tutors  at  home.  He  learned 
the  cooper's  trade  in  a  shop  conducted  in 
connection  with  his  father's  business.  Aft- 
er coming  to  the  United  States  he  worked 
at  that  trade  as  a  journeyman  at  different 
places,  including  three  years  at  Peoria. 
In  1866,  he  located  in  Evansville,  Indiana, 
where  he  learned  the  baker's  trade  and  con- 
tinued to  work  at  the  same  there  for  two 
years.  Later  he  went  to  Missouri  and  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  west,  and  finally  in  1874 
came  to  Bloomington,  where  in  Mr.  Gerk- 
en's  bakery  he  was  employed  as  foreman 
until  18S2,  when  he  resigned  his  position 
and  embarked   in   business  on  his  own  ac- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


51 


count  at  the  corner  of  Grove  and  Center 
streets,  doing  all  the  work  himself.  His 
trade  having  steadily  increased,  he  was  ob- 
liged to  seek  more  commodious  quarters, 
and  in  1886  he  purchased  a  large  brick 
block  at  the  corner  of  Center  and  Oliver 
streets.  He  occupies  the  whole  building, 
which  is  forty-four  by  ninety-nine  feet,  two 
stories  in  height,  with  a  basement.  This  is 
fitted  up  with  the  latest  improved  machinery 
and  ovens,  making  it  a  thoroughly  modern 
plant.  Besides  his  large  retail  trade,  he 
now  does  one  of  the  largest  wholesale  baking 
businesses  in  central  Illinois,  shipping  his 
goods  to  Indiana  points.  Kankakee,  Dan- 
ville and  Pekin,  Illinois.  He  furnishes  em- 
ployment to  sixteen  men.  Coming  to  the 
new  world  as  he  did  without  capital,  he  de- 
serves great  credit  for  the  success  that  he 
has  achieved  in  life,  it  being  due  entirely  to 
his  own  industry,  enterprise,  perseverance 
and  good  management. 

On  the  2nd  of  February,  1870,  at  St. 
Charles,  Missouri,  Mr.  Schneider  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  G.  Danzebrink, 
a  daughter  of  Bernhardt  and  Katherina 
(Grove)  Danzebrink,  natives  of  Germany 
and  now  residents  of  St.  Charles.  The  fa- 
ther came  to  the  United  States  during  his 
boyhood,  in  1812,  and  is  a  pensioner  of  the 
Mexican  war  and  was  also  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  war.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schneider  have 
two  daughters:  Josie  K.  is  now  the  wife  of 
Richard  E.  Hurst  and  to  them  has  been  born 
a  daughter,  Leah,  while  by  a  former  mar- 
riage she  has  a  son,  John  W.  Penner  Hurst. 
Lillian,  the  second  daughter  of  our  subject, 
married  Henry  A.  Ulbrich,  of  Bloomington, 
and  has  one  son,  Harry  A.,  a  bright  boy  of 
two  years.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
a  pleasant  home  at  the  corner  of  Grove  and 
West  streets. 


Although  of  foreign  birth,  America  has 
no  more  loyal  or  patriotic  citizen  than  Mr. 
Schneider,  who,  as  a  Republican,  is  promi- 
nently identified  with  local  political  affairs, 
and  does  all  in  his  power  to  advance  the 
interests  of  city,  state  and  nation.  For 
four  years  he  most  efficiently  served  as  su- 
pervisor of  Bloomington  township,  and  while 
in  that  office  gave  his  support  to  the  tneas- 
ure  of  letting  children  remain  in  the  orphans' 
home  until  eighteen,  instead  of  turning  them 
out  at  sixteen,  and  the  bill  was  passed.  He 
also  moved  to  have  convict  labor  in  state  in- 
itutions  abandoned,  and  it  was  also  carried 
before  the  board.  At  the  re-organization  of 
the  city  in  1897,  fourteen  aldermen  were 
elected — one-half  for  two  years  and  one- 
half  for  one  year.  He  was  among  the  num- 
ber and  in  casting  lots  he  drew  the  shorter 
term,  serving  during  the  3'ear  of  1897-8. 
He  was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  streets 
and  alleys  and  most  ably  respected  the  third 
ward.  Socially,  he  is  an  honored  member 
of  Mozart  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Uhland  Lodge, 
I.  O.  O.  F.;  and  Shabbonay  Tribe,  I.  O.  R. 
M.,  with  which  he  has  been  connected  sixteen 
years  and  has  served  as  treasurer  ten  years 
of  that  time.  He  also  belongs  to  National 
Union,  Pythias  Lodge,  No.  161,  K.  P.,  of 
which  he  is  a  charter  member  and  trustee, 
and  a  member  of  the  Uniformed  Rank  No. 
22,  K.  P.  He  has  been  chieftain  of  the 
League  of  Red  Men,  Pocahontas  Tribe,  and 
a  member  of  the  Turners  Society. 


DANIEL  J.  OTTO,  who  is  practically 
living  a  retired  life  on  his  fine  farm  in 
section  30,  Normal  township,  is  a  splendid 
representative  of  that  class  of  German- 
American  citizens  who  have  done  so  much 
to  advance  the  material  interests  of    their 


52 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


adopted  country.  For  many  years  he  was 
one  of  the  most  active  and  enterprising 
farmers  in  the  county,  industrious  as  the 
day  was  long,  but  in  the  lapse  of  time  he 
has  accumulated  sufficiently  of  this  world's 
goods  to  enable  him  to  lay  aside  business 
cares  and  take  life  easy.  It  is  not  his  na- 
ture, however,  to  be  idle,  so  he  still  does 
such  work  as  he  may  feel  inclined  to  do. 
He  was  born  in  Hessen,  Germany,  Septem- 
ber II,  1833,  and  there  received  his  primary 
education  in  his  native  language.  His  fa- 
ther, John  Otto,  was  a  native  of  the  same 
province,  and  by  occupation  was  a  farmer. 
He  married  Mrs.  Margaret  Brenneman,  ucc 
Otto,  who  was  a  distant  relative,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  three  children:  Anna, 
who  married  Henry  Eisenfeld,  of  Peru,  111.; 
Daniel  J.,  our  subject;  and  Jacob,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  on  the  old 
home  place  in  Pennsylvania.  By  her  first 
husband,  Samuel  Brenneman,  Mrs.  Otto 
had  three  children:  Mary,  Samuel  and 
Katie. 

In  1845  John  Otto  came  with  his  family 
to  the  United  States  and  located  in  Somer- 
set county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  pur- 
chased what  was  known  as  soldier's  lot, 
comprising  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  which 
was  all  in  timber,  and  from  which  very  little 
clearing  had  been  done  and  on  which  no 
improvements  had  been  made.  With  the 
energy  characteristic  of  the  race  he  went  to 
work,  cleared  the  land  and  in  due  time  had 
a  good  farm.  He  remained  on  that  farm 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  in 
1857.  His  wife  survived  him  but  one  year, 
when  she,  too,  passed  to  her  reward. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  but  twelve 
years  old  when  he  accompanied  his  parents 
to  the  United  States,  and  for  about  one 
year  after  his  arrival  he  atteuded  the  public 


schools  of  Somerset  county,  Pennsylvania, 
and  acquired  a  fair  knowledge   of   the    En- 
glish language.    After  that  short  time  in  the 
schools   of    his   adopted    country    he    com- 
menced work  with  his  father  in  clearing  the 
farm  of  its  heavy  timber,  and   in  the  school 
of  experience  acquired   the   greater   part   of 
the  knowledge  now  possessed.    He  remained 
with  his  father  until   twenty-one  years  old, 
when  he  left    home   and   came   to    McLean 
county,  Illinois.      This  was  in  the  spring  of 
1855.      For  two   years   he   worked    by    the 
month  for  various  persons,  and  then  rented 
a  farm  in  Ailin   township   on   which   he    re- 
mained si.x  years,  in  the  meantime  accumu- 
lating sufficient  means  to  purchase  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres   in   the   same   town- 
ship.    This  he  improved  while  still  continu- 
ing to  work  his  rented  land.      His  first  pur- 
chase was  made  in  i860,  and  this    he    later 
traded  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  also 
in  Allin    township.      After  residing   on  this 
last  farm  for  four  years  he  sold   it  for  fifty 
dollars    an    acre    and     in    1867    moved    to 
Champaign     county,    where    he    purchased 
a  farm  of  four  hundred  acres  on  which  he 
remained  for  six  years.    He  was  not  pleased, 
however,  with  that  farm,  and  in  1875  traded 
it  for  a  farm   of  two   hundred   and   twenty- 
three  acres  in  Normal  and  Dry  Grove  town- 
ships, McLean   county,   giving    in    addition 
four  thousand  dollars   in  cash.      It  was  his 
judgment  that  the  land  in  Normal  township 
was    far    superior    to    that     in     Champaign 
county,  and  he  has  never  felt  any  reason  to 
change  his  mind  in  that  regard. 

On  returning  to  McLean  county,  Mr. 
Otto  located  on  the  Normal  farm  and  there 
remained  twelve  years,  during  which  time 
he  made  several  purchases  of  land  as  his 
means  permitted.  He  first  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Dry  Grove  town- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


53 


ship,  and  a  little  later  ninety  acres  in  Nor- 
mal township,  then  eighty  acres  more  in 
Dry  Grove  township,  adjoining  his  first 
purchase  of  ninety  acres.  He  next  bought 
eighty  acres  adjoining  the  last  eighty,  after 
which  he  bought  eighty  acres  more  in  Nor- 
mal township,  adjoining  his  first  ninety, 
paying  for  the  same  one  hundred  dollars 
per  acre.  His  next  purchase  was  of  forty- 
three  acres  adjoining  the  other  place,  for 
which  he  paid  one  hundred  and  seventeen 
dollars  per  acre. 

On  the  27th  of  April,  1857,  Mr.  Otto 
married  Miss  Jacobina  Otto,  a  native  of 
Butler  county,  Ohio,  and  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Barbara  Otto.  Her  father  moved  to 
McLean  county  at  an  early  day  and  became 
one  of  the  large  land  owners  of  the  county. 
By  this  union  ten  children  were  born,  four 
of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Of  those  who 
reached  mature  years,  John  E.  married 
Mary  Bohrer,  and  they  have  had  six  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  are  living,  Gertrude  B., 
Lillian,  Hattie  and  Elsie.  They  reside  in 
Dry  Grove  township.  Samuel  B.  married 
Mary  Basting,  by  whom  he  had  three  chil- 
dren, Mabel,  Roy  and  Ralph.  His  second 
marriage  was  with  Sarah  Baumetz,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Grace.  They  are  living  in 
Normal  township.  Albert  married  Minnie 
Basting,  and  they  have  four  children,  Clara, 
May,  Pearl  and  Alvin.  They  reside  in  Dry 
Grove  township.  Eliza  married  Henry  C. 
Lowrey,  and  with  their  two  children,  Joseph 
Otto  and  Lawrence,  they  live  in  Storey 
county,  Iowa.  George  D.  married  Jennie 
Meyer,  and  they  have  three  children, 
Harvey  M.,  Blanche  and  Chester.  They 
reside  in  Normal  township.  Charles  E. 
married  Gertrude  Kirkpatrick,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Cleta,  Their  home  is  in 
Normal  township. 


On  the  30th  of  September,  1884,  Mrs. 
Otto  departed  this  life,  and  her  remains 
were  interred  in  the  cemetery  at  Blooming- 
ton.  She  was  a  good  woman,  a  kind  and 
loving  wife  and  mother,  and  had  many 
friends  to  mourn  her  loss.  October  6, 
1886,  Mr.  Otto  again  married,  taking  as 
his  wife  Miss  Mary  Houston,  a  native  of 
Monroe  county,  Indiana,  and  daughter  of 
Alfred  Houston,  who  is  now  living  a  retired 
life  in  Rantoul,  Illinois.  There  are  no 
children  by  this  last  union,  but  in  January, 
1S90,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Otto  adopted  the  or- 
phan son  of  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Otto,  and 
the  little  one,  Allen  C.  Houston,  is  now 
attending  the  district  school. 

Mr.  Otto  has  always  kept  the  best 
grade  of  stock,  hogs,  cattle  and  horses, 
and  has  always  endeavored  to  feed  all  the 
grain  he  raised.  For  eighteen  years  he 
was  engaged  in  the  business  of  fattening 
cattle  for  the  market,  and  in  this  line  was 
unusually  successful.  In  fact  success  has 
crowned  all  his  efforts  in  life.  On  coming 
to  this  county  he  had  a  good  chopping  axe, 
which  he  wielded  with  a  good  strong  arm, 
and  from  which  it  may  almost  be  said  that 
with  it  he  hewed  out  a  fortune,  for  it  was  his 
entire  capital.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  over 
eight  hundred  acres  of  as  fine  land  as  there 
is  in  McLean  county,  which  is  truly  the 
garden  spot  of  the  state.  All  his  land  is 
under  cultivation  and  well  improved  in 
every  respect,  having  excellent  farm  houses 
and  barns,  with  such  outbuildings  as  are 
necessary  in  carrying  on  well  regulated 
farms.  On  his  farms  he  has  put  down 
over  six  thousand  dollars  worth  of  tiling, 
and  made  many  other  substantial  improve- 
ments. 

Politically,  Mr.  Otto  is  a  Republican  on 
national  issues,  but  in  local  elections  is  de- 


54 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


cidedly  independent,  voting  for  tiie  best 
men  regardless  of  the  party  names  which 
they  wear.  He  has  never  cared  for  office, 
but  served  one  term  as  a  member  of  the 
county  board  of  supervisors  from  Dry 
Grove  township,  and  was  also  assessor  of 
that  township  for  one  term.  For  nine 
years  he  was  trustee  of  schools  in  Dry 
Grove  township,  and  for  two  years  served 
in  the  same  office  in  Normal  township.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Mennonite  church,  with 
which  he  has  been  connected  since  he  was 
sixteen  years  old.  His  wife  is  a  member 
of  the  Christian  church.  Both  are  held  in 
the  highest  esteem,  and  they  have  many 
friends  throughout  the  county,  who  esteem 
them  for  their  worth's  sake. 


CHARLES  ROSS  PARKE,  M.  D.,  is  the 
oldest  practicing  physician  of  Bloom- 
ington,  and  one  of  the  most  eminent  mem- 
bers of  the  profession  in  this  section  of  the 
state.  One  of  the  most  exacting  of  all  the 
higher  lines  of  occupation  to  which  a  man 
may  lend  his  energies  is  that  of  the  physi- 
cian. A  most  scrupulous  preliminary  train- 
ing is  demanded  and  a  nicety  of  judgment 
little  understood  by  the  laity.  Then  again 
the  profession  brings  its  devotees  into  almost 
constant  association  with  the  sadder  side  of 
life, — that  of  pain  and  suffering, — so  that  a 
mind  capable  of  greal  self  control  and  a 
heart  responsive  and  sympathetic  are  essen- 
tial attributes  of  him  who  would  assay  the 
healing  art.  Thus  when  professional  suc- 
cess is  attained  in  any  instance  it  may  be 
taken  as  certain  that  such  measure  of  suc- 
cess has  been  thoroughly  merited.  Lacking 
in  none  of  the  attributes  of  the  eminent 
medical  practitioner.  Dr.  Parke  has  long  oc- 
cupied a  leading  place   in   the   ranks  of  his 


professional  brethren,  and  his  reputation 
extends  far  beyond  the  boundaries  of  this 
county. 

A  native  of  Parkesburg,  Chester  county, 
Pennsylvania,  he  was  born  on  the  25th  of 
June,  1823,  and  is  a  son  of  George  Wash- 
ington and  Mary  (Ross)  Parke.  The  family 
is  of  Scotch-Irish  extraction  and  was  found- 
ed in  America  by  the  Doctor's  great-grand- 
father, who  left  his  home  in  the  nortli  of 
Ireland  and  emigrated  to  the  new  world, 
prior  to  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Taking 
up  land,  he  made  a  good  home  and  reared  a 
family.  His  son  William  Parke,  grandfa- 
ther of  our  subject,  was  one  of  the  heroes 
in  the  war  for  independence.  He  belonged  to 
the  "  Flying  Camp,"  and  participated  in  a 
number  of  battles.  After  the  establishment 
of  the  republic,  he  became  one  of  the  im- 
portant factors  in  the  public  life,  and  in 
Pennsylvania  served  as  a  member  of  the  state 
legislature,  and  was  also  a  member  of  the 
committee  of  safety  during  the  war. 

George  W.  Parke  was  a  native  of  Parkes- 
burg, Pennsylvania,  and  after  arriving  at 
years  of  maturity  engaged  in  farming,  in 
milling  and  in  the  tanning  business.  He 
was  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  progress- 
ive and  enterprising  men  of  the  town  of 
Parkesburg,  which  was  built  upon  a  part  of 
the  land  originally  purchased  by  our  sub- 
ject's great-grandfather  and  derived  its  name 
from  the  Parke  family.  A  section  of  his 
farm  is  still  in  possession  of  his  descend- 
ants. George  W.  Parke  served  as  register 
of  deeds  at  Westchester  for  some  time,  and 
during  the  war  of  1812  carried  arms  in  de- 
fence of  his  country's  ilag.  Another  mem- 
ber of  the  family  who  attained  prominence 
in  military  circles  was  General  John  G. 
Parke,  a  cousin  of  the  Doctor,  who  was  re- 
tired   from    his    command   at    West   Point. 


CHARLES   ROSS   PARKE,   M.  D. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


57 


George  W.  Parke  was  twice  married,  the 
mother  of  our  subject  being  his  second  wife. 
She  belonged  to  an  honored  family  of 
Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  by  her 
marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  three 
children,  but  the  Doctor  is  the  only  one 
now  living.  The  parents  both  retained 
their  residence  in  the  Keystone  state  until 
death,  and  both  had  passed  the  eightieth 
milestone  on  life's  journey  when  called  to 
the  home  beyond.  They  were  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  commanded 
the  respect  of  all  who  knew  them. 

Dr.  Parke  acquired  his  preliminary  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools  near  his 
home,  later  pursued  his  studies  at  West- 
chester, Pennsylvania,  and  then  attended 
Science  Hill,  a  private  school,  conducted 
by  Joshua  Hoopes,  a  Quaker  educator. 
He  began  preparation  for  his  profession  as 
a  student  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Wilmer  Worth- 
ington,  and  subsequently  took  a  three 
years'  course  in  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, at  Philadelphia,  where  he  was  grad- 
uated in  the  class  of  1847.  For  a  year 
thereafter  he  practiced  in  Delaware  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  in  the  fall  of  1848  came 
to  Illinois,  locating  at  Como,  on  the  Rock 
river,  in  Whiteside  county.  Attracted  by 
the  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  how- 
ever, he  crossed  the  plains  in  the  spring  of 
1849,  going  as  "surgeon  to  the  Como  Com- 
pany. He  now  belongs  to  the  society 
known  as  "The  '49s  of  Chicago."  The 
party  journeyed  to  Sacramento  and  thence 
proceeded  up  Feather  river,  fording  that 
stream  at  Marysville,  when  only  one  adobe 
house  marked  the  site  of  the  town.  Dr. 
Parke  spent  the  winter  among  the  mines, 
and  in  the  spring  returned  to  Marysville  for 
groceries.  In  the  meantime  quite  a  village 
had  sprung  up,  and  a  steamboat  lay  at  the 


wharf,  while  in  other  parts  of  the  state 
were  little  towns,  indicating  the  rapid  de- 
velopment of  the  region.  In  the  fall  of 
1850  Dr.  Parke  went  to  Sacramento,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  for 
a  few  months.  Starting  for  home,  he  took 
passage  at  San  Francisco  on  a  schooner 
bound  for  Panama,  but  in  a  storm  they 
were  obliged  to  seek  harbor  off  Cape  St. 
Lucas,  and  in  another  gale  were  driven  by 
the  winds  to  the  vicinity  of  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  Eventually  they  sailed  eastward 
until  they  reached  the  coast  of  Central 
America,  where  the  passengers  hired  teams 
to  convey  them  by  way  of  Lake  Nicaragua 
to  Graytown  or  San  Juan,  where  the  canal 
is  now  being  constructed.  Arriving  too 
late  to  take  the  steamer,  they  went  on  an 
English  vessel  to  Chagres.  and  thence  to 
New  Orleans. 

The  Doctor  then  came  to  the  north  and 
after  practicing  his  profession  near  Peoria, 
Illinois,  for  a  year,  came  to  Bloomington  in 
1852.  He  found  here  a  small  village  of 
twenty-five  hundred  people,  and  has  wit- 
nessed its  splendid  growth  and  development 
into  a  populous  and  enterprising  city.  He 
continued  in  practice  here  until  the  ist  of 
August,  1855,  when,  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  the  Russian  minister,  he  re- 
ceived an  appointment  to  a  position  as  sur- 
geon in  the  regular  army  of  the  czar,  and 
went  to  the  Crimea,  where  he  served  in  the 
hospital  in  the  capital  city  until  peace  was 
declared.  He  was  then  sent  to  the  holy 
city  of  Kiev,  and  later  traveled  through 
Prussia,  spending  some  time  in  Berlin. 
Subsequently  he  went  to  France  and  Den- 
mark, then  over  the  mountains  to  Stock- 
holm, Sweden,  back  to  Prussia,  thence  to 
Berlin,  to  Paris  and  to  Brussels,  London, 
and  Southampton,   sailing   from  the  latter 


58 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


place  for  his  native  land,  where  he  arrived 
on  Thanksgiving  day  of  1857.  Thus,  through 
extensive  travel  on  the  continent,  he  gained 
a  comprehensive  and  accurate  knowledge  of 
European  countries,  their  peoples  and  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  old  world, — a 
knowledge  that  has  since  enriched  his  con- 
versation with  anecdote  and  reminiscence. 

Dr.  Parke  spent  the  winter  after  his  re- 
turn with  his  father,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1858  again  came  to  Bloomington,  where  he 
resumed  the  general  practice  of  medicine. 
He  was  married  on  the  3d  of  October,  1866, 
to  Mrs.  Lucy  Keith,  of  this  city,  a  daughter 
of  Edmund  Didlake,  formerly  of  Winches- 
ter, Kentucky.  They  lost  their  only  child, 
and  on  account  of  the  poor  health  of  his 
wife,  Dr.  Parke  removed  to  a  plantation  in 
the  south,  where  they  remained  until  Mrs. 
Parke  was  fully  restored,  returning  in  1870. 
The  Doctor  has  been  an  active  practitioner 
in  Bloomington,  and  now  has  a  large  office 
practice.  He  is  also  chief  of  the  medical 
staff  of  St.  Joseph's  Hospital  and  surgeon 
of  that  institution,  which  he  aided  the  Sis- 
ters in  founding,  making  it  one  of  the  most 
perfectly  equipped  hospitals  in  central  Illi- 
nois. He  has  a  very  large  surgical  prac- 
tice and  has  successfully  performed  many 
difficult  and  important  operations.  His  suc- 
cess in  this  branch  of  the  profession  is  due 
to  his  wonderfully  minute  and  accurate  ac- 
quaintance with  anatomy,  combined  with 
exquisite  power  of  diagnosis,  a  cool  head, 
steady  muscles  and  great  mechanical  genius. 
He  has  ever  been  a  close  student  of  his  pro- 
fession, and  his  comprehensive  knowledge 
of  the  principles  of  the  medical  science  ren- 
ders him  an  eminent  follower  of  this  im- 
portant calling. 

Dr.   Parke    is  a    valued   member  of  the 
McLean  County  Medical  Society,  of  which 


he  has  served  as  president;  of  the  State 
Medical  Association,  and  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  and  has  twice  served 
as  a  member  of  the  board  of  pension  exam- 
iners by  appointment  of  President  Cleve- 
land. Dr.  Parke  was  the  first  president  of 
the  George  Rogers  Clarke  Chapter  of  the 
Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  in  Bloom- 
ington. He  has  served  for  several  years  as 
president  of  the  Library  Association  of 
Bloomington,  and  is  an  advocate  of  all 
measures  and  movements  which  tend  to  ad- 
vance the  intellectual,  material,  social  and 
moral  welfare  of  the  city.  He  has  enjoyed 
honors  and  success  in  his  professional  ca- 
reer, but  in  private  life  has  gained  that 
warm  personal  regard  which  arises  from 
true  nobilitv  of  character,  deference  for  the 
opinions  of  others,  kindliness  and  geniality. 


SAMUEL  R.  WHITE.  The  career  of 
Samuel  R.  White  is  so  closely  inter- 
woven with  the  progress  and  development 
of  Bloomington  that  the  history  of  the  city 
would  be  incomplete  without  the  record  of 
his  life.  To  say  of  him  that  he  has  risen 
unaided  from  comparative  obscurity  to  rank 
among  the  most  successful  men  of  this  sec- 
tion of  Illinois,  is  a  statement  that  seems 
trite  to  those  familiar  with  his  life,  yet  it  is 
but  just  to  say  in  a  history  that  will  descend 
to  future  generations  that  his  business 
record  has  been  one  that  any  man  would 
be  proud  to  possess.  Beginning  with  no 
capital  save  determined  purpose  and  lauda- 
ble ambition,  he  has  worked  his  way  steadily 
upward  step  by  step  until  he  is  now  occupy- 
ing a  position  of  prominence  and  trust  in 
the  industrial  world  reached  by  very  few 
men.  Through  his  entire  business  career 
he  has  been  looked  upon  as  a  model  of  in- 
tegrity and  honor,  never  making  an  engage- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


59 


ment  that  he  has  not  fulfilled,  and  standing 
to-day  as  an  example  of  what  determination 
and  force,  combined  with  the  highest  degree 
of  business  integrity,  can  accomplish  for  a 
man  of  natural  ability  and  strength  of  char- 
acter. 

A  native  of  the  neighboring  state  of  In- 
diana, Mr.  White  was  born  in  Huntington, 
December  27,  1846,  and  is  a  son  of  James 
and  Lucy  (Phelps)  White.  The  father  was 
born  in  North  Carolina,  and  when  about 
four  years  old  lost  his  father.  He  spent  his 
youth  in  the  place  of  his  nativity,  and  when 
about  twenty-five  years  of  age  removed  to 
Indiana.  In  his  early  manhood  he  engaged 
in  merchandising  in  Ohio,  but  on  account 
of  ill  health  removed  to  a  farm,  where  he 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  January,  1853, 
when  Samuel  R.  White  was  a  little  lad  of 
only  four  summers.  He  left  a  widow  and 
four  children  who  grew  to  mature  years, 
namely:  Mary  A.,  now  Mrs.  Foulke,  of 
Whiting,  Kansas;  Mrs.  Laura  A.  Reed,  of 
Bloomington;  James  and  Samuel  R.  After 
the  death  of  her  first  husband  Mrs.  White 
became  the  wife  of  John  Reed,  of  Wabash, 
Indiana,  whence  they  removed  to  Bloom- 
ington in  1884.  Mrs.  Reed  died  about 
1888,  but  Mr.  Reed  is  still  living  in  this 
city  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years. 
In  early  life  she  was  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  but  afterward  held  mem- 
bership in  the  Christian  church. 

In  the  district  schools  Samuel  R.  White 
acquired  his  education,  pursuing  his  studies 
until  seventeen  years  of  age,  through  the 
winter  season.  In  the  summer  months  he 
assisted  in  the  labors  of  field  and  meadow 
and  when  nineteen  years  of  age  he  left  the 
farm  in  order  to  serve  an  apprenticeship  to 
the  carpenter's    trade   in  Wabash  county, 


Indiana.  In  1 868  he  came  to  Illinois,  work- 
ing as  a  journeyman  in  various  parts  of  the 
state,  including  the  towns  of  Winona  and 
Ottawa.  In  1S69  he  returned  to  Hunting- 
ton, where  he  began  contracting  on  his  own 
account  on  a  small  scale,  meeting  with  suc- 
cess in  the  undertaking.  He  was  married 
there,  and  in  the  spring  of  1870  removed 
with  his  bride  to  Bloomington.  It  was  his 
intention  to  locate  elsewhere,  but  while  seek- 
ing a  favorable  opening  he  began  working 
at  his  trade  in  this  city,  and  in  1872  entered 
upon  an  independent  business  career  as  a 
contractor  and  builder.  He  erected  a  num- 
ber of  school-houses,  dwellings  and  barns 
throughout  the  county,  and  as  he  demon- 
strated his  ability  in  the  line  of  his  chosen 
vocation  his  patronage  constantly  increased 
and  the  nature  of  his  work  partook  of  a 
more  important  character.  His  force  of 
workmen  was  likewise  enlarged,  and  his  en- 
terprise and  capable  management  was 
crowned  with  a  fair  degree  of  success.  In 
1874  he  erected  the  Stevenson  hardware 
store  in  Front  street;  in  1875  the  First  Ward 
school  building;  and  various  residences  in 
the  city  also  indicate  his  handiwork.  He 
was  thus  engaged  in  contracting  until  1879, 
when  he  withdrew  from  that  business,  hav- 
ing in  the  meantime  turned  his  attention  to 
other  lines,  which  he  believed  would  prove 
more  profitable.  In  1873  he  established  a 
lumber  and  coal  yard  which  he  also  con- 
ducted until  1S78. 

In  that  year  he  founded  what  has  be- 
come one  of  the  leading  industrial  concerns 
of  the  city.  He  began  the  manufacture  of 
house  furniture  in  an  old  mill,  which  was 
operated  by  rented  power  and  which  stood 
on  the  site  of  his  present  commodious  and 
substantial  plant.  He  utilized  his  carpenter 
shop  for  a  sales  and  store  room,  and  acted 


6o 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


as  his  own  traveling  salesman,  going  upon 
the  road  to  sell  his  goods.  Prosperity  at- 
tended the  new  venture  and  his  trade,  con- 
stantly increasing  in  volume  and  importance, 
had  in  1883  reached  such  dimensions  that 
he  was  enabled  to  erect  a  planing  mill  and 
factory,  located  at  No.  304  Douglass  street. 
As  the  years  passed  great  changes  were 
made  in  the  style  of  furniture  and  extensive 
corporations  were  monopolizing  the  trade, 
which  caused  him  to  abandon  the  manufact- 
ure of  furniture  and  begin  the  construction 
of  sash,  doors  and  blinds.  This  enterprise 
has  continued  one  of  the  leading  industrial 
concerns  of  the  eity,  and  has  proven  a  very 
profitable  investment.  In  1884,  a  fire  de- 
stroyed the  plant,  which  was  a  three-story 
frame  building,  but  with  characteristic  en- 
ergy he  made  preparation  for  the  immediate 
continuance  of  his  business  by  purchasing 
the  old  mill  in  which  he  began  operations 
and  erecting  on  the  site  the  main  part  of  his 
present  plant,  a  three-story  brick  structure, 
si.xty  by  si.xty  feet,  supplied  with  capacious 
boilers  and  engines  and  the  latest  improved 
machinery  for  carrying  on  the  work.  Later 
he  purchased  the  remainder  of  the  half 
block  on  which  the  plant  was  located  and 
removing  a  dwelling  and  livery  barn  built 
an  addition  to  his  factory  in  order  to  meet 
the  demands  of  his  constantly  increasing 
patronage.  The  greater  part  of  the  ground 
is  now  covered  with  the  building,  a  three- 
story  brick  structure,  one  hundred  and  fif- 
teen by  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet,  provid- 
ing ample  accommodation  for  carrying  on 
the  business.  The  plant  is  ecjuipped  through- 
out with  the  most  modern  and  highly  im- 
proved machinery,  and  his  trade  has  more 
than  doubled  since  the  building  was  enlarged. 
He  also  manufactures  store  furniture  in  ad- 
dition   to    lumber,    sash,  doors   and   blinds. 


and  the  output  of  the  factory  is  very  large. 
In  the  conduct  of  the  enterprise  he  has  been 
very  successful,  owing  to  his  keen  discrim- 
ination, his  sound  judgment,  enterprise, 
and  executive  ability.  Only  a  small  insur- 
ance covered  the  plant  that  was  first  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  and  in  1889  he  again  suf- 
fered loss  through  the  fiery  element,  but 
with  undaunted  courage  he  continued  his 
labors  and  triumphed  over  the  difficulties 
which  he  had  met. 

Mr.  White  is  a  man  of  resourceful  busi- 
ness ability,  and  his  efforts  have  been  by 
no  means  confined  to  one  line.  He  has 
been  the  promoter  of  many  of  the  leading 
business  concerns  of  the  city,  and  has  there- 
by not  only  promoted  his  individual  pros- 
perity but  has  largely  advanced  the  welfare 
of  the  city.  On  the  site  of  his  first  planing 
mill  he  erected  four  flat  buildings  which 
were  supplied  with  all  the  conveniences  of 
that  time.  While  engaged  in  contracting 
he  was  appointed  an  e.xpert  appraiser  for 
an  insurance  company,  and  thus  formed  an 
extensive  acquaintance  which  enabled  him 
to  secure  many  large  contracts  in  various 
parts  of  the  country,  and  furnish  employ- 
ment to  from  two  hundred  to  two  hundred 
and  fifty  men.  He  erected  buildings  for 
the  American  Sugar  Refining  Company, 
the  Realty  Cooperage  Company,  the  Pull- 
man Palace  Car  Company,  the  Bradner 
Smith  Paper  Company's  Mill,  and  repaired 
the  Hotel  Peoria  and  the  Dunlap  House. 
In  the  line  of  his  insurance  business,  he  was 
called  as  an  expert  adjuster  from  New  Or- 
leans to  Manitoba  and  from  Baltimore  to 
Denver,  settling  losses  for  various  compa- 
nies. His  tact  and  discrimination  com- 
bined with  marked  executive  ability,  made 
him  very  successful  in  that  line  of  work, 
and  his  labors  were  most  satisfactory  to  the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


6i 


companies  he  represented.  Mr.  White  is 
now  the  representative  of  many  industrial 
and  manufacturing  concerns,  whose  pros- 
perity is  largely  attributable  to  his  wise 
counsel  in  the  management  of  their  affairs. 
In  1894  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Bloomington  Store  Fixture  Company,  which 
succeeded  to  the  business  of  H.  A.  Miner 
and  was  capitalized  for  twenty  thousand 
dollars,  its  officers  being  Mr.  White,  presi- 
dent, and  Mr.  Rodman,  general  manager. 
They  manufacture  store  and  office  furniture, 
employ  forty  workmen,  and  ship  their  goods 
into  almost  every  state  of  the  Union.  In 
1894  our  subject  erected  what  is  known  as 
the  White  Block,  a  five-story  and  base- 
ment brick  structure,  seventy- si.x  by  one 
hundred  and  twelve  feet,  to  which  an  ad- 
dition, fifty  by  eighty  feet,  and  three 
stories  in  height,  has  been  made.  This 
building  is  supplied  with  power  from  the 
planing  mill  across  the  street,  by  rope 
transmission.  The  store  fi.xtures  occupj' 
more  than  three  floors  and  the  basement  in 
this  large  building.  Mr.  White  is  also  in- 
terested in  the  Corn  Belt  Printing  Company, 
of  which  he  is  president,  and  is  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Novelty  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, the  partners  being  C.  F.  Shunkle  and 
Mr.  White.  In  this  enterprise  employment 
is  furnished  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  men. 
Mr.  White  is  likewise  interested  in  the  B.  S. 
Constant  Company,  which  manufactures 
machinery  for  grain  elevators,  is  a  stock- 
holder in  the  A.  N.  Stevens  Company,  a 
large  grocery  firm  in  the  same  block.  The 
various  enterprises  with  which  he  is  con- 
nected furnish  employment  to  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  thus  materially 
aid  in  the  progress  and  advancement  of  the 
city,  for  the  general  welfare  is  dependent 
entirel)'  upon  commercial  activity. 


Bloomington  is  also  indebted  to  him  for 
improvements  which  add  to  her  beauty.  He 
has  laid  out  one  of  the  most  attractive  ad- 
ditions to  the  city,  called  "White's  Place." 
It  comprises  thirty  acres  of  land,  and  upon 
this  property  he  placed  improvements  to  the 
value  of  thirteen  thousand  dollars,  in  the 
year  1898.  In  the  center  of  the  tract  is  a 
broad  street,  seventy  feet  wide.  This  is 
divided  into  three  equal  sections,  the  center 
being  transformed  into  a  park  adorned  with 
trees,  grass,  flowers  and  a  fountain.  On 
each  side  asphalt  paving  extends  for  sixteen 
feet.  The  lots  are  sixty  feet  wide  and  a 
building  line  insures  the  beauty  that  arises 
from  uniformity.  The  sewer,  water  and 
gas  connections  have  all  been  made  through 
the  alleys  in  the  rear,  and  heavy  teams  are 
also  to  deliver  their  goods  through  that  way, 
so  that  the  boulevard  is  used  only  for  pleas- 
ure driving.  All  of  the  buildings  will  be 
heated  by  steam,  and  White's  Place  will 
eventually  become  one  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful districts  of  the  city.  His  own  pleasant 
home  is  located  on  Mulberry  street,  where 
he  has  resided  for  thirteen  years. 

On  the  2 1st  of  September,  1869,  Mr. 
White  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Min- 
erva E.  Moore,  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Elizabeth  Moore,  who  resided  in  Hunting- 
ton county,  Indiana,  six  miles  from  the  city 
of  that  name.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  White  have 
been  born  six  children  who  are  yet  living: 
Louis  A.,  who  married  Lillian  Wood,  of 
Chicago,  and  is  engaged  in  business  in 
Bloomington;  Ora  E.,  who  is  now  interested 
in  the  management  of  the  S.  R.  White 
Manufacturing  Company,  and  married  Miss 
Minnie  Merrideth,  by  whom  he  has  one 
child,  Samuel  R.,  Jr.;  Elizabeth,  at  home; 
Alma,  wife  of  S.  M.  McEwan,  chief  train 
dispatcher  of     the  Chicago,    Burlington   & 


62 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Quincy  Railroad,  at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri; 
Samuel  Warren,  who  is  manager  of  the 
Star  Novelty  Manufacturing  Company;  and 
Dalmar,  at  home.  The  parents  are  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
in  which  Mr.  White  is  serving  as  trustee. 
He  also  occupies  a  similar  position  in  con- 
nection with  the  Woman's  Industrial  Home, 
and  is  a  liberal  contributor  to  both.  He 
has  always  been  willing  to  devote  his  wealth 
and  energies  to  any  feasible  undertaking 
that  would  increase  the  prosperity  of  the 
city  and  add  to  the  comfort  of  its  inhab- 
itants. His  life  has  been  a  success.  He 
has  accumulated  a  competency  and  has 
used  only  such  means  as  will  bear  the  clos- 
est scrutiny.  He  has  for  thirty  years  been 
an  active  factor  in  advancing  the  city  of 
Bloomington,  and  during  that  entire  time 
has  so  conducted  all  of  his  affairs  as  to 
command  the  esteem,  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  all  classes.  Personally  he  is  socia- 
ble, ever  willing  to  accord  to  any  one  the 
courtesy  of  an  interview,  and  is  entirely 
free  from  ostentation  or  display.  His  ac- 
tions during  his  life  have  been  such  as  to  ac- 
cord him  recognition  among  the  represent- 
ative men  of  this  great  state,  and  although 
his  career  has  not  been  filled  with  thrilling 
incidents,  probably  no  biography  in  this 
volume  can  serve  as  a  better  illustration  to 
young  men  of  the  power  of  honesty  and  in- 
tegrity in  insuring  business. 


PHILIP  A.  KARR  is  the  well-known 
superintendent  of  the  county  poor  farm 
of  McLean  county,  which  position  he  has 
held  since  March,  1893,  and  which  he  has 
filled  in  a  most  commendable  and  satisfac- 
tory manner.  A  native  of  Indiana,  he  was 
born  November   i,   1850,  twenty-four  miles 


northeast  of  Indianapolis,  and  can  trace 
his  ancestry  back  to  1640.  The  Karr 
family  is  of  Scotch  origin.  The  paternal 
great-great-grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
Captain  John  Ivarr,  who  served  with  dis- 
tinction as  an  officer  in  a  New  Jersey 
regiment  during  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  later  participated  in  the  war  of  181 2. 
He  was  one  of  the  early  members  of  the 
Masonic  order  in  this  country,  and  the  Ma- 
sonic apron  which  he  carried  through  both 
wars  is  now  one  of  the  most  cherished  pos- 
sessions of  our  subject.  Later  in  life  he 
came  west  and  made  his  home  with  his 
children  in  McLean  county,  dying  at  the 
home  of  his  son-in-law,  Hiram  Buck,  near 
Leroy,  in  1840.  He  is  one  of  the  few 
Revolutionary  soldiers  buried  here.  Walter 
Karr,  the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  born  near  Hackettstown,  New  Jersey, 
and  at  an  early  day  removed  to  Ohio,  where 
his  death  occurred.  The  grandfather, 
Philip  Karr,  owned  and  operated  a  farm 
near  that  of  General  William  Henry  Har- 
rison, in  Ohio.  He  purchased  the  place  at 
an  early  day  and  continued  to  make  his 
home  there  until  his  removal  to  Indiana, 
where  he  also  opened  up  and  improved  a 
farm.  He  died  in  the  latter  state  about 
1849  or  1850.  He  was  a  well-known  and 
prominent  business  man,  and  at  one  time 
engaged  in  the  freighting  business  from 
Cincinnati  to  Indianapolis  with  a  six-horse 
team.      He  married  a  Miss  Granger. 

Arthur  C.  Karr,  our  subject's  father, 
was  born  in  Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  De- 
cember 30,  1827,  upon  the  farm  adjoining 
that  of  General  Harrison,  but  was  reared 
in  Indiana,  remaining  under  the  parental 
roof  until  he  attained  his  majority.  At 
that  time  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Sarah  J.  Guinn,  a  native  of  West  Vir- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


63 


ginia,  and  to  them  were  born  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  eight  are  still  living,  our 
subject  being  the  eldest.  After  his  mar- 
riage, the  father  lived  upon  a  farm  in  In- 
diana from  1849  until  1855,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Warren  county,  Iowa,  locating 
fifteen  miles  southeast  of  Des  Moines,  where 
the  family  lived  in  true  pioneer  style.  They 
reached  their  destination  July  4,  1855,  but 
as  houses  were  scarce  it  was  two  months 
before  they  secured  a  home,  which  was  a 
small  log  house  with  no  floor,  no  nails  be- 
ing used  in  its  construction.  Here  the 
father  and  mother,  with  their  three  chil- 
dren, besides  two  widows  with  three  chil- 
dren each,  lived  in  one  room,  at  the  end  of 
which  was  a  huge  fire  place,  the  back  logs 
for  which  were  drawn  into  the  room  by  a 
horse.  Although  the  family  encountered 
all  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life,  our  sub- 
ject still  numbers  it  among  ihe  most  pleas- 
ant and  happy  winters  he  ever  spent. 
Game  was  plentiful,  hunting  was  good  and 
the  Indians  had  left  for  their  homes  farther 
west.  The  father  was  first  engaged  in  the 
sawmill  business  in  Iowa,  and  at  that  he 
prospered.  Later  he  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising, but  failed  in  business  during  the 
panic  of  1857.  That  year  he  was  also 
taken  ill  and  was  confined  to  his  bed  for 
three  years,  but  finally  recovered,  though 
his  friends  did  not  believe  it  possible  at  the 
time.  Being  a  natural  mechanic,  he  ne.xt 
worked  at  the  wagonmaker's  trade,  and 
was  considered  one  of  the  best  in  Dewitt 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  moved  September 
7,  1864.  He  manufactured  everything 
needed  in  his  business,  and  successfully 
worked  at  his  trade  until  cheap  factory- 
made  vehicles  replaced  the  better  ones 
made  by  hand.  He  was  quite  prominent 
in  Wapella  and    vicinity,  but   never  aspired 


to  office.  He  died  March  13,  1899,  hon- 
ored and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 
In  1866  he  united  with  the  Christian 
church,  though  he  had  been  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
for  twenty  years  previous.  His  widow  is 
still  living  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years 
and  is  still  quite  bright  and  active. 

Philip  A.  Karr,  our  subject,  began  his 
education  in  a  primitive  log  school-house 
near  Des  Moines,  with  its  greased  paper 
window  and  rude  furniture,  and  though  his 
educational  advantages  were  limited,  he  has 
by  reading  and  observation  become  a  well- 
informed  man,  having  a  broad  and  practical 
knowledge  of  men  and  affairs  that  could  not 
be  derived  from  books.  During  his  father's 
long  illness  he  began  to  work  in  the  fields 
at  the  age  of  nine  years,  cultivating  a  small 
patch  of  ground  in  order  to  assist  in  the 
support  of  the  family.  On  New  Year's  day 
of  1864,  when  it  was  thirty-si.x  degrees  be- 
low zero,  he  went  three  miles  and  cut  a 
load  of  wood,  which  he  brougt  home,  being 
at  that  time  only  thirteen  years  of  age. 
Since  the  age  of  ten  he  has  been  entirely 
dependent  upon  his  own  resources,  receiv- 
ing no  financial  aid  from  his  father,  and  un- 
til twenty-two  he  practically  supported  the 
family,  while  at  that  time  he  assumed  an 
indebtedness  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars incurred  for  family  expenses,  and  also 
gave  his  father  a  good  home  during  the  last 
twelve  years  of  his  life. 

On  the  9th  of  October,  1872,  Mr.  Karr 
married  Miss  Willie  A.,  daughter  of  John 
Karr,  who  was  a  resident  of  De  Witt  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  and  to  them  have  been  born 
seven  children,  namely:  Clara  M.,  who 
died  December  19,  1S94,  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years;  Homer  G.,  employed  as  night 
watchman  at  county  farm;  Fred  T.,  who  is 


64 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


engaged  in  farming  in  Old  Town  township; 
Albert,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen 
months;  Roy,  at  home;  Eunice,  who  died 
in  infanc)';  and  Daisy  Dotty  Dimple,  at 
home. 

For  four  or  five  years  after  his  marriage 
Mr.  Karr  engaged  in  farming  upon  rented 
land  in  De  Witt  county,  and  then  operated 
a  thresher  and  corn  sheller  for  about  the 
same  length  of  time.  In  this  way  he  secured 
his  start  in  life,  but  felt  the  effects  of  the 
hard  times  of  1876.  In  1881  he  again 
turned  his  attention  to  farming,  and  two 
years  later  embarked  in  the  brick  and  tile 
business,  buying  the  plant  of  a  bankrupt 
company  two  miles  from  Wapella,  and  from 
a  small  beginning  he  soon  built  up  an  excel- 
lent trade.  During  the  second  year  a  stock 
company  was  formed,  and  he  served  as 
director  and  manager  until  July  4,  1883, 
when  he  retired  from  the  corporation  on  ac- 
count of  his  views  on  the  temperance  ques- 
tion. He  then  organized  another  stock 
company,  of  which  he  was  secretary,  and 
commenced  operating  a  new  plant  at  Funk's 
Grove,  where  he  did  a  successful  business, 
furnishing  employment  to  from  fifteen  to 
twenty-five  men.  He  manufactured  most 
of  the  tile  used  in  this  locality,  and  also 
shipped  considerable.  In  connection  with 
that  business  he  also  conducted  a  sawmill, 
and  success  crowned  his  well-directed  efforts. 
He  continued  his  residence  at  Funk's  Grove 
when  he  took  possession  of  his  present  office 
in  March,  1893.  By  the  county  board  of  su- 
pervisors, he  was  appointed  superintendent 
of  the  poor  farm  in  1892,  there  being  six  in 
competition  against  him.  At  the  end  of  five 
years,  or  in  1898  he  was  re-appointed  having 
two  opponents.  This  farm  consists  of  three 
hundred  acres,  and  as  regards  buildings  and 
grounds  is  considered  the  best  county  farm 


in  central  Illinois.  It  now  has  from  one 
hundred  and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
inmates,  though  when  Mr.  Karr  took  charge 
they  numbered  but  ninety-six.  He  has 
proved  a  most  efficient  and  popular  superin- 
tendent, the  duties  of  the  position  having 
never  been  more  faithfully  or  satisfactorily 
performed.  Since  casting  his  first  presiden- 
tial vote  for  General  U.  S.  Grant,  in  1872, 
he  has  been  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Re- 
publican party  and  his  duties  of  citizenship 
have  always  been  most  conscientiously  dis- 
charged. He  has  served  as  school  director 
and  road  commissioner,  and  in  all  the  rela- 
tions of  life  has  been  found  true  to  every 
trust  reposed  in  him.  Socially,  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Shirley  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  No.  212,  at  McLean,  in 
which  he  has  filled  the  office  of  master  of 
exchequer.  Religiously,  both  he  and  his 
wife  are  earnest  members  of  the  Christian 
church. 


EDWIN  C.  HEWETT,  A.  M..  LL.  D., 
for  many  years  president  of  the  Illinois 
State  Normal  University  and  now  associate 
editor  of  the  School  and  Home  Education,  a 
periodical  published  in  Bloomington  in  the 
interest  of  education,  was  born  in  Worcester 
county,  Massachusetts,  November  i,  1S28, 
and  is  the  son  of  Timothy  and  Lavina  (Leon- 
ard) Hewett,  both  of  whom  were  also  na- 
tives of  Massachusetts.  Timothy  Hewett 
was  an  experienced  and  skilled  mechanic, 
and  also  engaged  in  farming  to  a  limited 
extent.  He  is  still  living,  a  well  preserved 
man  of  ninety-three  years.  His  good  wife 
passed  to  her  reward  some  years  ago.  They 
were  the  parents  of  five  children,  two  of 
whom  are  now  living. 

Dr.  Hewett,  who  was    first  in    order  of 


EDWIN    C.    HEWETT. 


TH E   NEW    ^     K     1 
PUBLIC  LIBhARY 

ASTOR,  LENOX 
I  TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


^7 


birth  in  the  family,  was  reared  in  his  native 
place,  and  in  the  common  schools  received 
his  primary  education.  After  passing  through 
the  Academy,  he  attended  the  Bridgewater 
State  Normal  School,  then  in  charge  of 
Nicholas  Stillinghast,  its  first  principal. 
Previous  to  his  entering  the  Normal,  he 
taught  school  for  two  terms.  After  graduat- 
ing at  the  Normal  school,  he  entered,  as  as- 
sistant, the  high  school  at  Pittsfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  remained  one  year,  aft- 
er which  he  was  called  back  to  Bridgewater 
to  become  an  assistant  at  the  Normal,  a  po- 
sition which  he  held  for  nearly  four  years. 
At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he  took  charge 
of  the  Thomas  Grammar  School,  in  Woos- 
ter,  and  remained  there  two  years. 

From  Worcester,  Prof.  Hewett  was 
called  to  Normal,  Illinois,  in  1858,  the  sec- 
ond year  of  the  establishment  of  the  State 
Normal  School  at  that  place.  In  that  insti- 
tution he  held  the  position  of  Professor  of 
History  and  Geography  until  January,  1876, 
when  he  was  elected  president  of  the  insti- 
tution, to  succeed  Dr.  Richard  Edwards, 
where  he  remained  as  its  efficient  head  until 
1890,  when  he  resigned.  The  State  Normal 
University  constantly  grew  in  its  influence 
and  plan  of  education  under  his  manage- 
ment, and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  no  other 
president  or  professor  connected  with  the 
State  Normal  School  has  had  more  to  do 
with  shaping  and  moulding  its  plan  and  de- 
veloping its  power  for  usefulness  and  influ- 
ence along  true  educational  lines  than  Dr. 
Hewett.  He  was  with  it  almost  from  its 
inception,  and  his  thirty-two  years  of  faith- 
ful devotion  could  not  help  but  leave  its 
impress  upon  its  working  force. 

Dr.  Hewett  received  his  degree  of  A.  M. 
from  the  (old)  University  of  Chicago  in 
1863,  and  the  degree  of  LL.  D.   was  con- 


ferred on  him  by  Shurtleff  College  about 
1878.  Both  honors  were  worthily  be- 
stowed. The  Doctor  has  been  an  untiring 
worker  in  educational  circles,  and  his  time 
has  not  been  confined  alone  to  teaching, 
but  he  has  written  an  excellent  work  on 
Pedagogy,  and  another  on  Psychology, 
both  of  which  are  published  by  the  Amer- 
ican Book  Company.  He  is  also  the  author 
of  a  series  of  arithmetics,  published  by 
Rand,  McNally  &  Co.,  of  Chicago,  and  all 
of  his  books  are  in  practical  use  to-day. 
As  instructor  in  Teachers'  Institutes,  he 
has  done  a  great  deal  of  valuable  work,  as 
well  as  lecturing  on  educational  topics  and 
writing  for  educational  and  other  publica- 
tions. As  an  educator  his  ability  is  un- 
questioned, and  he  has  been  honored  by 
his  associates  in  educational  work  in  various 
ways.  For  a  time  he  served  as  president 
of  the  State  Teachers'  Association  of  Illi- 
nois, and  for  many  years  he  has  been  an 
active  worker  in  the  National  Educational 
Association,  of  which  he  was  treasurer  for 
five  years.  Previous  to  his  removal  to 
Normal,  he  was  secretary  of  the  Teachers' 
Association  of  Plymouth  and  Wooster 
counties,  Massachusetts,  and  also  held 
other  positions  of   minor  importance. 

In  August,  1857,  Dr.  Hewett  was  joined 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Angeline  N.  Benton, 
a  native  of  Franklin  county,  Massachusetts, 
where  she  was  born  in  1831,  and  daughter 
of  Horace  and  Anna  (Case)  Benton,  who 
removed  to  Lee  county,  Illinois,  in  1854. 
By  this  union  two  children  were  born — 
Mrs.  R.  R.  Reeder,  born  in  i860,  and  now 
residing  in  Chicopee  Falls,  Massachusetts, 
and  Paul,  born  in  1870,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. Mrs.  Hewett,  who  was  a  most  esti- 
mable wife  and  loving  mother,  departed 
this  life  November  21,  1895.   For  his  second 


68 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


wife,  Dr.  Hewett  married  Mrs.  Helen  E. 
Paisley,  nee  Clute,  of  Normal,  their  wed- 
ding ceremony  being  solemnized  in  this 
city,  August  31,   1898. 

Dr.  Hewett  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church  for  many  years,  and  by  that 
body  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel. 
While  the  greater  part  of  his  life  has  been 
given  to  the  cause  of  education,  he  has  yet 
occupied  the  pulpit  to  some  extent,  and 
his  sermons  are  of  a  high  order  of  merit, 
such  as  one  would  naturally  expect  from 
one  of  his  learning  and  experience.  Polit- 
ically, he  has  always  been  a  staunch  Re- 
publican. 


WILLIAM  HART  PATTERSON.  In 
past  ages  the  history  of  a  country 
was  the  record  of  wars  and  conquests;  to- 
day it  is  the  record  of  commercial  activity, 
and  those  whose  names  are  foremost  in  its 
annals  are  the  leaders  in  business  circles. 
The  conquests  now  made  are  those  of  mind 
over  matter,  not  of  man  over  man,  and  the 
victor  is  he  who  can  successfully  establish, 
control  and  operate  extensive  business  in- 
terests. 

Mr.  Patterson  is  unquestionably  one  of 
the  strongest  and  most  influential  men 
whose  lives  have  become  an  essential  part 
of  the  history  of  Bloomington  and  McLean 
county.  He  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania,  May  24,  1856,  and  is  a  rep- 
resentative of  one  of  the  wealthiest  and 
most  distinguished  families  of  that  state, 
being  a  son  of  John  J.  and  Lucretia  E. 
(Moore)  Patterson.  The  founder  of  the 
Patterson  family  in  this  country  was  born 
in  Ireland  of  Scotch  ancestry  and  came  to 
America  in  1702,  locating  in  Juniata  Valley, 
Pennsylvania.       At    one  time    they  owned 


all  of  that  valley.  The  great-grandfather 
of  our  subject  was  John  Patterson,  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  the  grand- 
father was  William  Patterson,  for  whom 
our  subject  was  named.  At  the  time  of 
his  death,  the  latter  was  one  of  the  wealth- 
iest men  in  Pennsylvania.  The  maternal 
grandfather,  Silas  Moore,  was  a  prominent 
citizen  of  Hollidaysburg,  Pennsylvania,  and 
owned  a  stage  line  from  Philadelphia  to 
Pittsburg  before  the  time  of  railroads.  He 
died  in  1844,  John  J.  Patterson,  father  of 
our  subject,  was  born  in  Waterloo,  Juniata 
county,  Pennsylvania,  August  8,  1830,  and 
has  always  been  quite  prominent  in  bus- 
iness and  political  circles  of  that  state, 
owning  an  interest  in  several  railroads  and 
serving  as  United  States  senator. 

William  H.  Patterson  is  the  oldest  in 
a  family  of  seven  children,  and  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  his  native  city  he  began  his 
education.  Later  he  attended  the  Penn- 
sylvania Military  Academy  at  Chester, 
Pennsylvania,  and  then  entered  Princeton 
College  as  a  member  of  the  class  of  1877. 
After  leaving  college  he  went  to  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  his  father  being  at  that  time 
a  member  of  the  United  States  senate, 
and  there  he  read  law  with  the  firm  of 
Shellabarger  &  Wilson,  both  ex-members 
of  congress  and  prominent  lawyers.  He 
also  attended  the  Columbia  Law  School, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  de- 
gree of  LL.  B.,  in  1879,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  June  of  that  year. 

The  following  August,  Mr.  Patterson 
was  elected  secretary  of  the  People's  Pass- 
enger Railway  of  Baltimore,  Maryland,  and 
remained  with  that  company  as  secretary 
and  general  manager  until  they  sold  out, 
when  he  went  to  New  Mexico  on  account 
of    his  health.     While  in  New   Mexico  he 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


69 


was  appointed  assistant  surveyor-general 
and  held  that  position  for  one  year,  his 
home  being  in  Santa  Fe.  In  the  fall  of 
1886,  he  returned  to  Washington,  D.  C. , 
and  as  general  superintendent  and  general 
manager  was  connected  with  the  Eckington 
&  Soldiers'  Home  Street  Railway,  one  of 
the  first  electric  roads  built,  remaining  there 
until  March,  1890.  He  was  also  one  of 
the  directors  of  the  People's  Road  in  Balti- 
more. On  the  1st  of  April,  1890,  he  located 
in  Bloomington  and  at  once  became  in- 
terested in  the  Bloomington  City  Railway, 
as  its  general  manager  and  president,  until 
June,  1898.  He  changed  the  road  from  a 
mule  line  to  the  electric  system,  laid  five 
miles  of  track,  and  made  many  other  im- 
provements, insuring  quicker  and  better 
service.  He  was  also  president  and  part 
owner  of  the  Lincoln  Street  Railway  Com- 
pany for  two  years;  was  connected  with  and 
for  a  time  director  of  the  Peoria  &  Pekin 
Electric  Railway.  He  has  been  president 
of  the  Illinois  Street  Railway  Association 
since  January,  1898,  when  it  was  formed, 
and  was  re-elected  to  the  office  in  June. 
He  organized  the  association  and  takes  an 
active  interest  in  it.  He  was  also  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  Corn  Belt  Bank,  but 
refused  to  become  one  of  its  directors.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Bloomington  Club,  and 
was  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Racing  As- 
sociation, of  which  he  was  also  one  of  the 
organizers,  being  quite  a  lover  of  the  noble 
steed. 

On  the  13th  of  January,  1881,  Mr. 
Patterson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Georgia  Evans,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  a 
daughter  of  A.  H.  Evans,  and  they  now 
have  two  sons,  William  H.,  Jr.,  and  Alexan- 
der Evans.  Mrs.  Patterson  and  the  older 
son  are  members  of  the  Episcopal   church, 


which  our  subject  also  attends  and  to  which 
he  contributes  liberally.  As  a  Republican 
he  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  poli- 
tics and  has  served  as  a  delegate  to  state 
conventions.  He  is  a  public  spirited,  en- 
terprising citizen,  always  willing  to  give  his 
support  to  any  object  which  he  believes 
calculated  to  prove  of  public  benefit,  and 
has  rendered  Bloomington  efficient  service 
as  park  commissioner,  being  first  appointed 
to  that  office  in  1895  and  re-appointed  in 
1897.  During  his  term  twelve  acres  were 
added  to  Miller  park,  the  lake  was  con- 
structed, the  zoo  buildings  were  erected, 
animals  bought,  a  boat  house  was  also  built 
and  boats  purchased.  All  of  these  improve- 
ments and  many  others  were  made  in  that 
park,  and  the  other  parks  were  also  beauti- 
fied and  extensively  improved.  Mr.  Patter- 
son gave  considerable  attention  to  the  work, 
and  the  city  now  has  as  fine  a  system  of 
parks  as  any  place  of  its  size  in  the  state. 


LOIS  E.  LING.  No  foreign  element  has 
become  a  more  important  part  of  our 
American  citizenship  than  that  furnished  by 
Sweden.  The  emigrants  from  that  land 
have  brought  with  them  to  the  new  world 
the  stability,  enterprise  and  perseverance 
characteristic  of  their  people  and  have  fused 
these  qualities  with  the  progressiveness  and 
indomitable  spirit  of  the  west.  We  find  a 
worthy  representative  of  this  class  in  Mr. 
Ling,  the  present  alderman  of  the  seventh 
ward  of  Bloomington  and  a  well-known  gro- 
cer of  that  city. 

Mr.  Ling  was  born  in  Ockelbo,  Gefle, 
Sweden,  November  4,  1851,  and  is  a  son  of 
John  Peterson,  a  farmer,  who  spent  his  en- 
tire life  in  that  country.  He  received  a 
good    practical     education     in    the    public 


70 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


schools,  and  while  pursuing  his  studies  in 
the  higher  schools  of  his  native  villages,  the 
letters  were  changed  from  the  German  to 
the  English  alphabet,  so  that  he  became  fa- 
miliar with  both,  but  his  knowledge  of  the 
English  language  has  all  been  acquired 
during  his  residence  here  by  extensive  read- 
ing and  study.  He  continued  to  aid  in  the 
work  of  the  home  farm  until  1870,  when  at 
the  age  of  eighteen  years,  he  sailed  for  the 
United  States,  hoping  to  benefit  his  finan- 
cial condition,  and  his  dreams  of  the  future 
have  been  more  than  realized,  for  he  now 
occupies  a  very  prominent  place  in  business 
circles  and  public  affairs  in  Bloomington. 

Locating  first  in  Kewawnee,  Illinois, 
Mr.  Ling  found  work  with  the  railroad  com- 
pany, and  after  coming  to  Bloomington  in 
1872,  worked  for  a  time  in  the  railroad 
shops  here  and  later  in  the  mines  for  two 
years.  As  a  miner  he  received  from  five  to 
six  dollars  per  day,  and  he  thus  secured  a 
start  in  life.  For  some  time  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  police  force,  being  well  fitted 
for  that  position  by  early  training  in  Sweden, 
where  he  had  been  a  member  of  a  military 
club  with  old  military  men  to  drill  them. 
It  was  while  a  member  of  that  organization 
that  he  took  the  name  of  Ling,  it  being 
customary  to  give  military  men  shorter 
names,  which  the  law  gave  them  the  right 
to  adopt.  He  was  also  a  member  of  what 
was  practically  a  sharpshooters  club,  in 
which  he  stood  high,  having  practiced  shoot- 
ing from  the  age  of  ten  years.  Mr.  Ling 
was  a  patrolman  in  Bloomington  for  four 
years  or  until  the  administration  changed,  he 
being  a  Republican  in  politics.  He  obtained 
a  position  as  clerk  in  the  clothing  store  of 
Mr.  Isaac  L.  Funkand  there  hegained  hislirst 
knowledge  of  selling  goods,  which  has  been 
of  much    practical    benefit  to  him  in    later 


years.  For  four  years  he  remained  with 
that  gentleman  and  was  then  with  his  broth- 
er for  two  and  a  half  years,  during  which 
time  he  erected  a  one-story  brick  building  at 
405  South  Allen  street,  owing  one  hundred 
and  fifteen  and  a  half  feet  there  and  one 
hundred  and  four  feet  on  West  Water  street. 
On  the  completion  of  his  building  he  put  in 
a  stock  of  groceries  and  embarked  in  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account  January  8,  1890. 
He  has  since  built  an  adjoining  store  room 
and  made  them  both  two  stories  in  height. 
One  he  uses  for  his  stock  of  groceries  and 
the  other  for  a  meat  market,  and  he  now 
gives  employment  to  six  people,  having  the 
best  grocery  trade  in  that  part  of  the  city. 
He  has  also  built  a  lovely  home  at  the  cor- 
ner upon  the  property   already  mentioned. 

On  the  15th  of  March,  1873,  Mr.  Ling 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Martha 
Soderblom,  also  of  Swedish  birth,  and  they 
now  have  two  children:  John  Albert,  who 
assists  his  father  in  the  meat  market;  and 
Emma  C  at  home.  The  family  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  and 
are  held  in  high  esteem  by  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances. 

Since  becoming  an  American  citizen,  Mr. 
Ling  has  affiliated  with  the  Republican 
party,  has  taken  an  active  part  in  local  pol- 
itics and  has  several  times  been  a  member 
of  the  executive  committee  in  his  ward.  At 
the  time  of  the  re-organization  of  the  city 
in  1897,  he  was  elected  alderman  for  the 
seventh  ward  for  a  term  of  two  years,  and 
is  now  chairman  of  the  committee  on  streets 
and  highways  and  a  member  of  the  commit- 
tees on  license  and  claims.  The  position  of 
alderman  was  really  forced  upon  him  as  it  was 
his  desire  to  give  his  entire  attention  to  his 
growing  business  interests,  but  being  elected 
through  no  effort  of  his  own,  he  is  now  giv- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


71 


ing  it  his  special  attention  and  is  proving  a 
most  efficient  and  popular  official.  Being 
quite  an  athlete  in  his  younger  days,  Mr. 
Ling  has  developed  a  fine  physique,  is  si.x 
feet  in  height  and  well  porportioned.  As  a 
boy  he  was  never  subject  to  fear  like  most 
lads  of  his  age.  Socially,  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge,  No.  400. 


GEORGE  W.  BROWN,  the  well-known 
superintendent  and  general  manager 
of  the  Bloomington  Stove  Company,  was 
born  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  July  17, 

1855,  and  is  a  son  of  George  and  Ella 
(Curren)  Brown,  the  former  a  native  of 
Gloucestershire,  England,  the  latter  of  Bel- 
fast, Ireland.  When  a  young  man  the 
father  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  took  up  his 
residence  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
where  he  worked  at  the  blacksmith's  trade 
until  his  death,    which  occurred  in  January, 

1856.  Both  parents  held  membership  in 
the  Episcopal  church,  and  were  highly 
respected  by  all  who  knew  them. 

Our  subject  commenced  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  Providence,  but  after  the 
death  of  the  father  he  accompanied  his 
mother  on  her  removal  to  Atlanta,  Illinois, 
and  in  the  winter  of  1866-7  came  to  Bloom- 
ington, where  he  attended  the  public  schools 
for  a  time.  On  starting  out  in  life  for  him- 
self he  entered  the  molding  department  of 
the  Bloomington  Stove  Company's  works 
as  an  apprentice,  and  later  worked  as  a 
molder  in  that  foundry  until  August  11, 
1898,  when  he  was  appointed  to  the  responsi- 
ble position  of  superintendent  and  general 
manager,  which  he  is  now  so  creditably  and 
acceptably  filling,  having  about  thirty  men 
under  him.  This  is  one  of  the  largest  stove 
works  in  central  Illinois,  and  his  long  con- 


nection with  it  plainly  indicates  his  skill 
and  ability  in  his  chosen  calling,  and  the 
faithful  discharge  of  the  duties  devolving 
upon  him. 

Mr.  Brown  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Jennie  Winset,  of  Williamsport,  In- 
diana, who  died  June  13,  1898,  leaving  five 
children,  namely:  Ellen,  Annie,  Gilbert 
W. ,  George  Benjamin  and  William  J.  So- 
cially, Mr.  Brown  is  an  honored  member  of 
Remembrance  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  and  relig- 
iously is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church, 
with  which  he  has  been  officially  connected. 
He  is  a  progressive  and  public-spirited  citi- 
zen who  gives  his  support  to  all  enterprises 
for  the  public  good,  and  he  has  a  host  of 
warm  friends  in  his  adopted  city. 


OLIVER  W.  DUNLAP.  Sound  judg- 
ment combined  with  fine  ability  in  me- 
chanical lines  has  enabled  the  subject  of 
this  biography,  a  well-known  resident  of 
Bloomington,  to  attain  a  substantial  success 
in  life  and  his  history  is  of  especial  interest. 
Although  comparatively  a  young  man,  he 
has  already  attained  a  prominent  place  in 
business  circles  and  is  now  treasurer  of  the 
Bloomington  Pressed  Brick  Company. 

Mr.  Danlap  was  born  in  Bloomington 
June  17,  1866,  and  is  a  son  of  Eleazer 
Dunlap,  who  was  born  in  Urbana,  Cham- 
paign county,  Ohio,  October  21,  1826,  and 
losing  his  father  during  his  infancy,  he  was 
reared  by  a  Mr.  Gregg,  of  Clinton  county, 
Indiana.  During  his  early  life  the  father  of 
our  subject  engaged  in  steamboating  from 
Cincinnati  to  New  Orleans,  and  subsequent- 
ly, in  an  official  position,  was  connected 
with  a  ferry  at  Cincinnati.  There  he  mar- 
ried Miss   Lucinda  Clark,  of  Dayton,  Ken- 


72 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


tucky,  a  native  of  Ohio  and  a  daughter  of 
Josiah  Clark,  at  that  time  a  resident  of  Day- 
ton, Kentucky.  About  i860  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dunlap  removed  to  North  Vernon,  Indiana, 
and  in  1865  came  to  Bloomington,  where 
he  was  at  first  engaged  in  farming  and  in 
the  wood  business  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  city,  remaining  there  until  1881.  Dur- 
ing the  following  five  years  he  conducted  a 
grocery  store  at  No.  106  South  East  street, 
and  in  i888  embarked  in  the  feed  business 
at  No.  301  East  Front  street,  carrying  on 
operations  there  for  three  years.  In  con- 
nection with  our  subject,  he  formed  the 
Bloomington  Pressed  Brick  Company  in 
1892,  and  since  its  incorporation  he  has 
served  as  a  director  and  vice-president. 
For  sixteen  years  he  was  an  efficient  mem- 
ber of  the  school  board,  representing  the 
district  in  which  he  lived  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  city.  Socially,  he  has  affiliated 
with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
for  half  a  century,  being  at  the  present  time 
a  member  of  Remembrance  Lodge,  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  are  faithful  members  of  the 
Baptist  church.  In  the  family  are  three 
children:     Emily,  Libbie  and  Oliver  W. 

After  attending  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  city  for  some  time,  Oliver  W.  Dun- 
lap  took  a  commercial  course,  and  began 
his  business  career  in  a  brick  yard,  where 
he  learned  the  trade  of  brick  making.  At 
the  age  of  nineteen,  he  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  a  Mr.  Cannon,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Dunlap  &  Cannon,  and  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  brick  at  the  old  estab- 
lished yard  of  Heafer  &  McGregor,  making 
the  common  and  hand-made  paving  brick 
for  six  years.  They  met  with  well-deserved 
success,  their  business  steadily  increasing 
from  the  beginning  until  the  partnership 
was  dissolved    in   1892.      With  his   father, 


Mr.  Dunlap  had  experimented  with  the  clay 
at  their  present  location,  and  finding  it  suit- 
able for  their  purpose,  they  put  in  operation 
press  brick  works  in  1892,  their  plant  being 
equipped  with  modern  machinery  for  that 
purpose.  They  were  able  to  turn  out  a  fine 
quality  of  pressed  brick,  and  in  December, 
1893,  a  company  was  incorporated  under 
the  style  of  the  Bloomington  Pressed  Brick 
Company,  with  E.  Dunlap  as  president, 
Oliver  \V.  Dunlap  as  treasurer,  and  J.  M. 
Elder  as  secretary.  The  capital  stock  was 
at  first  fifteen  thousand  dollars,  and  the 
output  after  a  year  or  two  was  two  million, 
five  hundred  thousand  brick  per  annum,  the 
trade  being  largely  local.  In  March,  1896, 
the  capital  stock  was  increased  to  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  paving  brick 
machinery  was  added  to  the  plant.  They 
also  have  steam  dryers  and  down  draft 
kilns  and  other  modern  improvements  for 
brick  making.  The  present  capacity  of  the 
plant  is  five  million  brick  annually,  and 
their  paving  brick  has  been  mostly  sold  in 
Bloomington.  It  is  one  of  the  largest 
plants  of  the  kind  in  central  Illinois;  em- 
ployment is  furnished  to  from  thirty  to 
thirty-five  hands  all  the  year  round,  and  as 
superintendent  our  subject  has  had  charge 
of  the  same  from  the  start.  He  has  in- 
vented a  machine  which  they  use  in  their 
own  business  and  which  is  now  sold  from 
coast  to  coast,  having  been  patented  both 
in  this  country  and  in  England.  It  is  a 
clay  screen,  which  they  manufacture  quite 
extensively,  and  is  in  itself  an  important 
branch  of  their  business. 

On  October  12,  1898,  Mr.  Dunlap  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Maud  Coates, 
of  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  a  daughter  of  Dr. 
H.  C.  Coates.  They  are  members  of  the 
Baptist  church,    and   socially   Mr.    Dunlap 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


73 


affiliates  with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks,  and  Jesse  Fell  Lodge,  Knights 
of  Pythias.  As  a  business  man  he  is  enter- 
prising, energetic  and  progressive,  and  the 
success  that  he  has  achieved  in  life  is  due 
to  his  own  well-directed  efforts. 


RINALDO  MINTON  HALL,  city  editor 
of  the  Daily  Leader,  of  Bloomington, 
and  a  prominent  representative  of  the  jour- 
nalistic profession,  is  a  native  of  McLean 
county,  born  near  Downs,  January  28,  1870, 
and  is  a  son  of  Taylor  Z.  and  Hannah 
(O'Neil)  Hall,  who  were  born,  reared  and 
married  near  Uniontown,  Fayette  county, 
Pennsylvania.  The  paternal  grandfather 
was  Samuel  Hall,  who  was  born  in  1798  at 
Kennett  Square,  Chester  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, of  Quaker  parentage,  he  being  a  first 
cousin  of  Bayard  Taylor,  the  noted  traveler 
and  author.  Samuel  Hall  married  Margaret 
Kendall,  who  was  born  at  Monroe,  Fayette 
county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1800.  Her  father 
was  a  captain  in  the  Revolutionary  war  and 
served  with  honor  and  distinction.  Samuel 
Hall  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-four,  while  his 
wife  attained  the  age  of  ninety-one  years. 
The  mother  of  Mrs.  Taylor  Hall  was  Eliza- 
beth Crow,  who  lived  to  be  eighty-five 
years  of  age,  while  her  father,  Henry  O'Neil, 
lived  to  reach  the  four-score  mark.  They 
were  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 

Soon  after  their  marriage  the  parents 
of  our  subject  came  to  McLean  county, 
Illinois,  and  first  located  at  Old  Delta, 
where  the  father  became  one  of  the  leading 
blacksmiths  of  the  county  at  an  early  day. 
On  closing  out  that  business,  he  purchased 
a  farm  a  mile  and  a  half  northwest  of  the 
village  of  Downs,  where  he  has  since  lived. 
He  extensively  carried  on  operations  as  a 


general  farmer  for  a  number  of  years,  but  is 
now  living  retired  upon  his  home  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  enjoying  the 
fruits  of  former  toil.  He  has  been  a  life- 
long supporter  of  the  Democracy,  and  one 
of  its  most  prominent  and  influential  mem- 
bers in  Old  Town  township,  but  has  always 
refused  political  office.  He  has,  however, 
taken  an  active  part  in  school  affairs  in  his 
district.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  faithful 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  are  deserving  of  the  high  regard  in 
which  they  are  uniformly  held.  They  have 
reared  a  family  of  eight  children,  namely: 
Josephine,  now  the  wife  of  R.  W.  Cole,  of 
Leroy;  Tobie,  wife  of  George  Bishop,  of 
West  Point,  Mississippi;  Winnie,  widow  of 
Arthur  Messick,  of  Downs;  Bunnie,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years;  Kate, 
who  is  the  widow  of  Charles  Nelson  and 
resides  at  home;  Richard,  a  grain  dealer  of 
Downs;  Rinaldo  M.,  our  subject,  and  Cal- 
vin S.,  Jr. 

Rinaldo  M.  Hall  attended  the  grammar 
and  high  schools  of  Downs,  and  for  four 
years  was  a  student  in  the  Illinois  Wesleyan 
University,  where  he  took  an  active  and 
prominent  part  in  literary  and  social  affairs, 
as  a  member  of  the  Phi  Gamma  Delta  and 
Belle  Lettres  Societies.  He  took  part  in  a 
number  of  oratorical  contests  and  ranked 
high  as  a  college  orator.  He  pursued  a 
scientific  course  and  gave  special  attention 
to  Latin.  After  leaving  college  he  taught 
for  two  years  near  Downs,  and  was  then 
offered  a  position  to  do  local  work  on  the 
Daily  Leader,  with  which  he  was  connected 
for  a  year  and  a  half. 

On  the  20th  of  September,  1894,  Mr. 
Hall  married  Miss  DeLila  E.  White,  a 
daughter  of  William  R.  White,  whose  sketch 
appears  elsewhere  in  thi§  volume.     After 


74 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


his  marriage  he  purchased  the  Fisher  Re- 
porter, at  Fisher,  Champaign  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  remained  as  editor  and  pro- 
prietor of  a  good  weekly  paper  until  May, 
1897,  when  he  sold  out  and  accepted  a  po- 
sition to  look  after  some  of  the  many  inter- 
ests of  Mr.  White  and  returned  to  Bloom- 
,  ington.  He  was  associated  with  his  father- 
in-law  until  May,  1898,  when  he  received 
several  good  offers,  one  of  which  was  to  do 
special  newspaper  work  at  the  Omaha  Ex- 
position. He  also  received  an  offer  from  a 
Chicago  daily  to  go  to  the  front  as  war 
correspondent,  but  not  wishing  to  leave 
home,  he  accepted  neither  of  these.  He 
did,  however,  accept  the  position  of  city 
editor  of  the  Daily  Leader,  a  Republican 
evening  daily,  with  which  he  is  still  con- 
nected. He  has  received  many  compli- 
ments from  Republican  leaders  and  mem- 
bers of  Congress  for  his  effective  work  in 
the  interests  of  the  party,  for  he  bore  an 
important  part  in  the  campaign  of  1898. 
He  is  particularly  fitted  for  his  present  re- 
sponsible position  by  education  and  prac- 
tical experience  in  all  departments  of  news- 
paper work.  He  has  always  been  very 
self-reliant  and  enterprising,  and  his  inde- 
pendence of  spirit  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
while  in  college  he  arose  regularly  every 
morning  at  four  o'clock  to  distribute  papers 
to  earn  his  pocket  money,  rather  than  ac- 
cept it  from  his  father,  who  is  well-to-do. 
These  morning  trips  necessitated  a  walk  of 
five  miles  each  morning  before  breakfast  in 
all  kinds  of  weather.  Mr.  Hall  is  an  ardent 
Republican  and  the  only  one  of  his  family 
to  support  that  party.  Socially,  he  is  a 
member  of  Kickapoo  Lodge,  K.  of  P.,  at 
Downs,  of  which  he  is  a  charter  member, 
and  the  Modern  Woodmen,  of  Fisher, 
Champaign  county,  Illinois,  and  did  consid- 


erable work  in  the  degree  teams.  He  is, 
however,  quite  domestic  in  his  tastes  and 
cares  more  for  his  home  than  outside  fel- 
lowship. Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church,  and  they  are 
now  building  a  beautiful  home  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Locust  and  McLean  streets — the 
finest  residence  district  in  the  city. 


HIRAM  BAKER  has  for  thirty  years 
been  a  resident  of  McLean  county, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  land  own- 
ers of  the  state.  With  wonderful  foresight 
he  discerned  the  future  development  and 
advancement  of  Illinois,  and  on  coming 
h^^  at  an  early  day  his  keen  sagacity 
pFom.pted  him  to  largely  invest  in  the  rich 
prairie  land  in  the  central  section  of  the 
state.  Its  rise  in  value  has  made  him  a 
wealthy  man,  and  his  prosperity  is  certainly 
well  merited,  for  his  business  career  has 
been  one  of  probity  and  integrity,  and  his 
capable  management  and  diligence  are 
justly  crowned  with  success. 

Mr.  Baker  is  a  native  of  the  Empire 
state.  He  was  born  in  Troy,  New  York, 
on  the  27th  of  April,  1S18,  a  son  of  Benja- 
min and  Lucy  (Ives)  Baker.  For  many 
years  his  father  was  a  resident  of  Rensse- 
laer county.  New  York,  and  there  married 
Miss  Lucy  Ives,  who  acquired  her  educa- 
tion in  that  county.  He  carried  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  and  not  until  late  in  life 
did  he  leave  the  old  home  to  become  a  resi- 
dent of  Peoria  county,  Illinois,  where  his 
last  days  were  passed.  He  held  member- 
ship in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

To  the  public-school  system  of  his 
native  county  Hiram  Baker  is  indebted  for 
the  educational   privileges  he  received,  re- 


TM^   NEW   YOkK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,  LITNOX 
TII.DEN  FOUNDHTIONS 


HIRAM   BAKER. 


MRS.   HIRAM   BAKER. 


PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

,  ASrov,  Lr^nx 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


79 


ceiving  a  good  business  education.  He  was 
early  inured  to  all  the  labors  that  fall  to  the 
lot  of  the  agriculturist,  and  assisted  his 
father  in  the  cultivation  of  the  home  farm 
until  sixteen  years  of  age.  In  1837,  in 
company  with  his  brother  Benjamin,  he 
drove  across  the  state  to  Buffalo,  New 
York,  and  there,  putting  the  horse  and 
buggy  on  a  boat,  came  by  water  to  Detroit. 
From  that  point  they  drove  into  the  wild 
and  untraveled  regions  of  Michigan,  across 
corduroy  bridges  and  over  new  wagon  roads 
to  Indiana,  thence  to  Joliet,  Illinois,  and 
on  to  Peoria,  being  three  weeks  and  one 
day  upon  the  way.  Peoria  was  then 
scarcely  more  than  a  hamlet,  and  there 
was  no  really  good  building  in  the  place. 
From  that  point  Hiram  Baker  started  out 
on  a  prospecting  tour,  traveling  over  the 
present  site  of  the  city  of  Galesburg  to  a 
little  place  called  South  Cherry  Grove,  and 
on  to  Farmington,  where  he  remained  for 
about  four  years.  During  that  time  he  pur- 
chased town  lots,  built  a  residence  and  en- 
gaged in  lumbering  and  other  business 
interests.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  went  to  Charleston,  Peoria  county,  now 
called  Brimfield,  and  opened  up  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  acres.  He  erected  a 
house  and  began  the  development  and  im- 
provement of  his  land,  carrying  on  general 
farming  and  stock  raising.  During  that 
time  Peoria  was  his  market  for  all  supplies. 
He  lived  upon  that  farm  for  seven  years, 
and  in  the  meantime  purchased  more  land, 
devoting  his  energies  entirely  to  agricul- 
tural pursuits  and  land  investments. 

On  the  1 6th  of  December,  1847,  was 
celebrated  his  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Fry, 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  daughter  of 
Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Shafer)  Fry,  both  of 
whom   were  also   natives  of    Pennsylvania. 


Sarah  Shafer  was  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Mary  Shafer,  who  were  born  in  Wash- 
ington county,  Pennsylvania.  Thomas 
Shafer  went  into  the  Continental  army 
under  General  Washington  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  years,  and  served  through  the  en- 
tire war.  He  died  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
five  years.  Benjamin  and  Sarah  Fry  came 
to  Illinois  in  1838,  and  settled  near  Peoria, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming.  They  both 
died  at  Hinsdale,  Illinois,  but  were  buried 
at  Peoria. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Baker  left  the 
farm  and  removed  to  Brimfield,  but  did  not 
sell  his  land,  it  being  still  in  his  possession. 
While  residing  there  he  was  induced  to 
hold  theSj'nl.y .political  office  he  has  ever  ac- 
cepted, that  of  alderman.  His  time  and 
attention  have  been  given  entirely  to  his 
farming  interests  and  investments,  and 
while  making  his  home  in  Peoria  county  he 
became  the  owner  of  five  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  He 
also  owned  a  section  of  land  in  Crawford 
county,  Iowa,  but  afterward  traded  it  for 
Iroquois  county  lands.  In  1866  he  re- 
moved to  Normal  in  order  to  provide  his 
children  with  better  educational  advantages, 
and  noting  the  richness  of  the  alluvial  soil 
in  this  section  of  the  state,  he  began  buying 
land  here,  and  his  holdings  are  among  the 
most  extensive  of  any  individual  owner  in 
this  locality.  When  he  arrived  in  Illinois 
he  found  many  young  men  who  had  come 
to  seek  a  fortune  in  the  west,  discouraged 
and  disheartened,  preparing  to  return  to 
the  east.  He  told  them  that  any  one  who 
would  stay  and  gain  possession  of  land 
would  some  day  be  well  off.  Time  has 
verified  the  truth  of  this  statement,  and  al- 
though Mr.  Baker  had  a  capital  of  only  one 
hundred   dollars  when  he  came  to  McLean 


8o 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


county,  he  is  now  worth  more  than  half  a 
million.  He  has  made  many  judicious  in- 
vestments, continually  adding  to  his  prop- 
erty interests.  One  of  his  first  purchases 
in  central  Illinois  was  a  half-section  in  Ford 
county.  Later  he  bought  another  section, 
and  added  to  that  until  he  now  has  fourteen 
hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Ford  county  of 
as  fine  land  as  can  be  found  in  this  entire 
country,  and  all  splendidly  improved.  He 
never  sells  his  land,  but  continually  adds 
to  it,  and  now  has  two  thousand  acres  in 
McLean  county,  which  is  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation  and  yields  to  him  a  good  in- 
come. He  has  also  given  to  his  two  chil- 
dren property  and  money  to  the  value  of 
sixty  thousand  dollars.  He  also  haSiJarge 
realty  holdings  in  Iroquois  couniy^^ijc^vfour 
hundred  and  fifty-six  acres  of  land  in  De- 
witt  county,  on  which  there  is  not  a  hill  or 
a  slough,  all  being  rich  rolling  ground, 
highly  cultivatable.  Lands  in  Henry  coun- 
ty that  he  purchased  soon  after  his  arrival 
are  also  still  in  his  possession,  the  aggre- 
gate being  nearly  five  thousand  acres  of  the 
finest  land  of  Illinois.  His  judgment  as  to 
land  values  is  most  sound  and  reliable,  and 
he  has  depended  entirely  upon  his  own  opin- 
ion in  such  matters. 

Mr.  Baker  continued  his  residence  in 
Normal  until  May  14,  1885,  when  he  pur- 
chased a  beautiful  home  on  North  Main 
street,  Bloomington,  where  he  and  his  esti- 
mable wife  dispense  a  most  cordial  hospi- 
tality to  their  many  friends.  They  were 
formerly  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 
Two  children  were  born  to  them,  but  the 
daughter,  Hattie  B.,  died  December  17, 
1898.  She  married  George  Champion,  of 
Normal,  and  at  her  death  left  four  children, 
Gertie  B.,  George,  Jr.,  Frank  B.  and  Myr- 
tle M.      She  was  one  of  the  foremost  ladies 


of  Normal  and  was  universally  loved  and 
respected  by  all  who  knew  her.  She  was  a 
friend  to  the  poor  and  needy,  and  to  all 
who  were  in  distress,  and  was  a  woman  of 
many  excellencies  of  head  and  heart.  The 
son,  Frank  R.  Baker,  is  now  in  the  real- 
estate  business  in  Bloomington,  where  he 
has  a  fine  residence  on  Franklin  square, 
erected  and  given  him  by  his  father.  He 
married  Miss  Delia  A.  Shelton,  and  they 
have  two  children:  Fred  R. ,  who  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  graduating  class  of  1899  in 
Williams  College;  and  Beulah,  who  will 
graduate  from  the  high  school  of  Bloom- 
ington in  June,  1899.  In  the  spring  of  1857 
Mr.  Baker  gave  one  thousand  dollars  to 
assist  in  building  the  old  Chicago  Univer- 
sity, which  was  under  the  control  of  the 
Baptist  church.  Owing  to  the  hard  times 
the  buildings  were  lost,  but  he  has  the  sat- 
isfaction of  knowing  that  later  the  institu- 
tion was  aided  in  a  most  substantial  manner 
by  John  D.  Rockefeller,  and  backed  by  him 
to  a  successful  issue.  Mr.  Baker  was  also 
one  of  six  gentlemen  to  build  a  Baptist 
church  in  Brimfield,  Illinois,  which  was 
afterwards  destroyed  by  fire. 

Such  is  the  life  history  of  one  whose 
record  is  indeed  creditable  and  worthy  of 
emulation.  He  came  to  the  west  deter- 
mined to  win  success  through  honorable 
effort  and  diligence,  and  his  close  applica- 
tion to  business,  his  keen  discrimination  and 
his  unabating  energy  have  enabled  him  to 
realize  his  hopes.  He  has  commanded 
uniform  respect  by  his  honorable  methods, 
and  enjoys  the  regard  of  all  with  whom  he 
has  been  brought  in  contact.  For  thirty 
years  a  resident  of  McLean  county  he  is 
numbered  among  her  valued  citizens,  and 
this  work  would  be  incomplete  without  the 
record  of  his  life. 


THE   !<£•*'<   ^^^:^J^ 

PUBLIC  LIBR^^^ 


FRANK   BAKER. 


MRS.   FRANK   BAKER. 


THt   MliW   YOFiK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,  LENOX 
TILDEN  70UNDATiOnS 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


85 


JACOB  SHOLTY.  Among  the  many 
beautiful  rural  homes  of  Dale  township, 
none  is  more  pleasant  than  that  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  who  is  one  of  the  most 
progressive  and  successful  agriculturists  of 
his  community.  He  was  born  in  that  town- 
ship on  the  2nd  of  April,  1863,  and  is  a  son 
of  Henry  and  Susan  (Swinehart)  Sholty. 
The  father  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  but 
when  small  he  went  to  Ohio  with  his  father, 
and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years  came  with 
the  family  to  Bloomington,  Illinois.  Soon 
afterward  the  grandfather  of  our  subject  lo- 
cated in  Dale  township,  where  he  improved 
a  farm  and  continued  to  make  his  home  un- 
til his  death.  Henry  Sholty  remained  on 
the  old  homestead  until  after  his  father  died, 
but  was  married  upon  another  farm  which 
he  purchased  in  the  same  township,  and 
which  has  been  his  home  almost  continu- 
ously since,  though  for  the  past  few  years  he 
has  lived  retired  in  Bloomington.  Through 
his  own  unaided  efforts  he  has  secured  a 
competence,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  three 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  valuable  land  in 
Dale  township.  He  is  honored  and  re- 
spected wherever  known,  and  the  success 
that  he  has  achieved  in  life  is  certainly  well- 
merited.      His  faithful  wife  died  in  1898. 

Of  the  four  children  born  to  this  worthy 
couple,  our  subject  is  the  third  in  order  of 
birth.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools,  and  remained  upon  the  home  farm 
with  his  father  until  he  was  married,  June 
13,  1886,  to  Miss  Florence  Staley,  daugh- 
ter of  Andrew  Staley,  of  Dale  township. 
The  children  born  of  this  union  are  Henry, 
Elmer,  Clara,  Fern  and  Ivan. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Sholty  purchased 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  rich  and 
arable  land  and  embarked  in  general  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising  on  his   own  account. 


As  he  has  met  with  success  in  his  chosen 
calling,  he  has  been  enabled  to  extend  the 
boundaries  of  his  farm  from  time  to  time 
until  it  now  includes  two  hundred  and  twen- 
ty acres  of  excellent  land,  adding  to  the 
original  tract  first  twenty  acres  and  later  two 
forty-acre  tracts.  This  he  has  improved 
with  good  and  substantial  buildings,  includ- 
ing a  beautiful  home  built  in  1896  in  mod- 
ern style  of  architecture  and  supplied  with 
all  conveniences,  so  that  it  is  one  of  the 
most  elegant  country  residences  in  the  coun- 
ty and  would  add  to  the  beauty  of  any  city. 
In  his   political   affiliations  Mr.  Sholty   is  a 

■ -RepTiiblican  and  he  has  done  much  to  ad- 
vance the  educational  interests  of  his  local- 

.  ity.  whije  Sei'vipg  for  two  terms  as  school  di- 
rector' of  his  district.  He  and  his  wife  hold 
membership  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  give  liberally  to  its  support. 


ORA  E.  WHITE,  manager  of  the  S. 
R.  White  Manufacturing  Company  of 
Bloomington,  is  one  of  the  most  wide-awake 
and  enterprising  business  men  of  'the  city. 
Here  he  was  born  November  17,  1872,  a 
son  of  Samuel  R.  White,  whose  sketch  ap- 
pears elsewhere  in  this  volume,  and  in  the 
public  and  high  schools  of  the  city  he  ac- 
quired his  literary  training.  Later  he  en- 
tered the  St.  Joe  (Missouri)  Business  Col- 
lege, who  was  conducted  by  his  uncle,  J. 
B.  Moore,  and  there  he  took  a  business 
course  and  also  one  in  drafting.  To  further 
fit  himself  for  his  present  business  he  spent 
a  year  in  an  architect's  office.  With  these 
preparations  he  returned  to  Bloomington 
and  entered  his  father's  factory.  As  he  be- 
came more  and  more  conversant  with  the 
business,  he  was  gradually  advanced  to  more 
responsible  positions  until  he  became  mana- 


86 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ger  of  the  large  plant,  having  from  thirty- 
five  to  forty  men  working  under  him.  Here 
everything  connected  with  house  finishing  is 
manufactured,  including  doors,  sash,  blinds 
and  all  kinds  of  wood  work,  it  being  one  of 
the  largest  factories  of  the  kind  in  central 
Illinois.  In  its  management  Mr.  White  has 
displayed  remarkable  executive  ability, 
sound  judgment  and  keen  perception,  and 
the  business  has  steadily  increased  in  vol- 
ume and  importance  until  it  is  one  of  the 
leading  industries  of  the  city.  (A  more  ex- 
tended mention  of  the  business  is  given  in 
connection  with  his  father's  sketch.) 

On  the  1 2th  of  May,  1896,  Mr.  White 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Minnette 
Meredith,  of  Brook,  Indiana,  a  daughter  of 
Rev.  H.  W.  Meredith,  a  minister  of  the 
United  Brethren  church.  They  now  have 
one  son,  Samuel  R.,  named  for  his  grandfa- 
ther. The  family  have  a  pleasant  home  at 
No.  304  East  Douglas  street,  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  resident  districts  of  Bloom- 
ington.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  White  are  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
in  which  he  is  one  of  the  ushers,  and  he  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association.  He  is  popular  in  social, 
as  well  as  business  circles,  and  has  a  host 
of  warm  friends  throughout  the  city. 


JOHN  H.  NORRIS.— Prominent  among 
the  influential  business  men  of  Normal 
is  the  gentleman  whose  name  introduces 
this  review,  and  who  has  been  a  resident 
since  receiving  an  honorable  discharge  from 
the  government,  at  the  close  of  the  Civil 
war.  He  was  born  in  Westchester  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1833,  and  is  a  son  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  Norris.  The  former  was 
an    experienced    horticulturist  from    whom 


his  son  obtained  his  early  knowledge  and 
experience,  which  enabled  him  to  carry  on 
so  successfully  the  business  in  which  he  is 
at  present  engaged.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject died  when  he  was  very  young,  and  his 
father  married  the  second  time,  a  lady  who 
did  not  assume  the  full  responsibility  of  a 
mother  toward  him,  consequently  he  was 
thrown  on  his  own  resources,  battling  with 
life  through  the  early  vicissitudes  of  boy- 
hood. In  1S48  he  went  to  Chicago,  and 
shortly  afterward  to  Aurora,  where  he  re- 
mained some  time,  going  later  to  Granville, 
Putnam  county,  Illinois,  remaining  until  the 
opening  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  enlisted 
as  a  member  of  Company  H,  Twentieth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  In  1863  he 
was  captured  and  confined  in  Libby  Prison, 
being  held  as  a  prisoner  of  war  until  his  ex- 
change three  months  later,  when  he  rejoined 
his  regiment  at  Vicksburg,  and  on  the  22d 
of  July  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Atlanta. 
After  a  service  of  over  four  years,  he  re- 
ceived his  discharge  papers  in  1865,  at 
Springfield,  Illinois. 

Upon  his  return  to  civil  life,  he  came  di- 
rect to  Normal,  and  after  a  few  years  en- 
gaged in  his  present  business,  horticulture. 
His  nurseries  occupy  a  number  of  large 
blocks,  and  he  possesses  besides  several 
business  blocks,  which  he  has  not  yet  dis- 
posed of  for  building  purposes.  His  fruits 
are  widely  known,  and  are  in  great  demand 
at  all  seasons,  as  he  cultivates  only  the  best 
in  quality  and  flavor.  In  1865,  Mr.  Norris 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Sarah  G.  Henning, 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  was  born  in 
1835,  in  Phcenixville,  Chester  county.  Five 
children  have  been  born  to  them,  two  of 
whom  are  living,  Fannie  B.  and  Kittie  M. 
For  nearly  one  year  the  latter  held  the  re- 
sponsible position   of  librarian  of  Normal. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


87 


The  Norris  family  attend  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  are  held  in  the  highest  esteem. 
Mr.  Norris  is  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  is  a  strong 
believer  in  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party,  to  which  he  gives  his  support.  At 
the  present  time  he  is  a  member  of  the  city 
council,  and  fills  the  office  in  a  very  accept- 
able manner.  He  is  a  public-spirited  citi- 
zen, and  is  much  honored  and  respected  by 
his  associates. 


JOHN  W.  HAYES,  president  of  the  Co- 
operative Stove  Company,  and  one  of 
its  original  members,  has  through  his  own 
exertions  attained  an  honorable  position 
and  marked  prestige  among  the  representa- 
tive business  men  of  Bloomington,  and  with 
signal  consistency  it  may  be  said  that  he  is 
the  architect  of  his  own  fortune. 

Mr.  Hayes  was  born  in  County  Water- 
ford,  Ireland,  September  17,  1858,  and  is  a 
son  of  John  and  Bridget  (Flynn)  Hayes. 
In  1862  he  accompanied  the  family  on  their 
emigration  to  the  new  world  and  located  at 
Bloomington,  Illinois,  where  the  father  was 
employed  as  a  blacksmith  in  the  Alton  rail- 
way shops  until  his  retirement  from  active 
labor,  spending  his  last  years  in  ease  and 
quiet.  He  died  in  1874,  leaving  four  chil- 
dren, namely:  Mrs.  Mary  Flynn,  a  resi- 
dent of  Bloomington;  Patrick,  of  Denver, 
Colorado;  David,  of  Bloomington,  where  he 
is  engaged  in  the  drug  business;  and  John 
W.,  of  this  review.  The  mother  is  still 
living  and  is  a  devout  member  of  Holy  Trin- 
ity Catholic  Church,  to  which  the  father 
also  belonged. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Bloomington, 
John  W.  Hayes  acquired  his  education, 
and  on  leaving  school  at  the  age  of  thirteen 


years  commenced  the  battle  of  life  for  him- 
self in  the  employ  of  the  Phoenix  Nursery, 
with  which  he  was  connected  until  nineteen. 
He  then  served  an  apprenticeship  of  four 
years  to  the  molder's  trade  in  the  Bloom- 
ington Stove  Company's  works  and  contin- 
ued in  their  employ  for  eight  years.  He 
was  then  active  in  organizing  the  Co-opera- 
tive Stove  Company  in  1886,  with  a  capital 
of  ten  thousand  dollars,  which  has  twice 
been  increased  since  that  time  and  is  now 
fifty  thousand  dollars.  He  was  elected  the 
first  president  of  the  company  and  has  since 
filled  that  office,  while  A.  C.  Hamilton 
serves  as  treasurer  and  manager,  and  C.  A. 
Hamilton  as  superintendent.  They  began 
business  in  Normal  on  a  small  scale,  doing 
most  of  their  work  and  acting  as  their  own 
salesmen.  As  their  business  steadily  in- 
creased, they  found  their  plant  at  Normal 
too  small,  and  in  1892  they  purchased  what 
is  known  as  the  Empire  works  on  the  Illi- 
nois Central  railroad.  Here  their  main 
building  is  three  hundred  by  forty-two  feet 
and  two  stories  in  height  and  is  built  of 
brick.  It  is  occupied  entirely  by  their 
works,  which  have  reached  extensive  pro- 
portions, to  meet  the  growing  demands  of 
their  trade.  The  members  of  the  company 
started  out  for  themselves  with  a  good  prac- 
tical knowledge  of  the  business,  and  being 
ambitious,  industrious,  persevering  and  en- 
terprising, have  been  successful,  and  they 
are  now  numbered  among  the  leading  busi- 
ness men  of  the  city. 

On  November  28,  1882,  Mr.  Hayes  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Julia  Fitzger- 
ald, of  Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  formerly  of 
Bloomington,  a  daughter  of  John  Fitzger- 
ald, who  died  when  she  was  young.  Of 
the  eight  children  born  of  this  union,  Julia 
died    December    23,    1896,    at  the   age  of 


88 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


eight  years  and  three  months.  Those  still 
living  are  Francis,  Florence,  Mona,  Lewis, 
Lauretta,  Josephine  and  John.  The  family 
resides  at  105  Kelsey  street,  and  they  are 
members  of  Holy  Trinity  Catholic  church. 
Politically,  he  has  been  a  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party  for  the  past  fourteen 
years,  but  has  never  been  a  politician  in 
the  sense  of  office  seeking.  He  has  the  re- 
spect and  confidence  of  his  business  associ- 
ates, and  is  held  in  high  regard  by  all  who 
know  him. 


WILLIAM  F.  SPREEN,  a  well-known 
and  popular  engineer  on  the  Chicago 
&  Alton  Railroad  residing  in  Bloomington, 
has  been  a  trusted  employe  of  that  company 
since  August,  1872.  A  native  of  Illinois, 
he  was  born  in  Alton,  July  18,  1S53,  and  is 
a  son  of  William  and  Christina  (Wagenfield) 
Spreen.  The  father  was  born  in  1822,  in 
a  village  near  Berlin,  Germany,  and  was  a 
son  of  William  Spreen,  who  owned  and 
operated  a  farm  which  had  been  in  the  fam- 
ily for  many  years  and  is  still  owned  by  one 
of  his  grandsons.  There  the  father  grew  to 
manhood,  attending  the  schools  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  during  his  youth  he  served 
an  apprenticeship  to  the  cabinetmaker's 
trade,  which  he  followed  in  his  native  land 
until  his  marriage.  His  wife  was  a  native 
of  the  same  place,  born  in  1824,  and  was  a 
daughter  of  Franz  Wagenfield,  proprietor 
of  an  inn  and  a  very  prominent  man  in  that 
locality.  He  was  a  distinguished  officer  in 
the  German  army,  serving  with  a  rank  cor- 
responding to  that  of  our  major,  and  his 
sons  were  also  in  the  service.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Spreen  were  married  March  23,  1847,  with- 
out the  consent  of  her  parents,  and  at  once 
sailed   for   the   United  States.      Landing  in 


this  country  they  proceeded  at  once  to  Al- 
ton, Illinois,  and  had  many  hardships  to  en- 
dure in  making  a  home  in  the  new  world. 
For  a  time  the  father  worked  at  his  trade 
and  later  engaged  in  business  as  a  contract- 
or and  builder,  erecting  many  fine  residences 
in  Alton  and  two  large  factories.  At  one 
time  when  a  business  block  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  he  erected  a  temporary  building  one 
hundred  ten  by  forty-eight  feet  and  two 
stories  in  height  in  forty-eight  hours,  so 
that  business  might  be  continued  until  more 
substantial  quarters  could  be  established. 
He  became  quite  successful  and  prosperous 
and  since  1895  has  lived  retired,  enjoying  a 
well-earned  rest.  In  the  First  Baptist 
church  of  Alton  he  and  his  wife  hold  mem- 
bership, and  they  are  held  in  high  esteem 
by  all  who  know  them.  Twelve  children 
were  born  to  them,  six  sons  and  six  daugh- 
ters, but  five  daughters  died  before  they 
reached  the  age  of  two  years,  and  one  son 
at  the  age  of  twenty-two. 

William  F.  Spreen  was  educated  in  the 
second  ward  and  high  schools  of  Alton  and 
in  early  life  worked  with  his  father  for  a 
short  time.  He  then  learned  the  machin- 
ist's trade  and  soon  took  charge  of  an  engine 
and  hydraulic  pump  in  the  castor  oil  mill  of 
Captain  D.  C.  Adams.  In  1872  he  accepted 
a  position  as  fireman  on  the  Chicago  &  Al- 
ton Railroad,  running  from  Alton  east,  and 
in  the  fall  of  1875  was  promoted  to  what  is 
called  hostler,  running  an  extra  train  from 
Alton.  In  the  fall  of  1876,  he  was  called 
to  Bloomington  to  take  a  regular  engine  and 
has  been  a  resident  of  the  city  since.  He 
was  in  the  freight  service  until  1888,  when 
he  was  promoted  to  the  passenger  service, 
with  which  he  is  still  connected.  He  was 
on  the  night  express  for  some  time  until  the 
limited  was  put  on  the  road.      He  brought 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


89 


it  on  its  first  trip  out  of  St.  Louis  and  has 
run  it  ever  since.  He  has  been  remarkably 
fortunate  in  his  railroad  career,  having  never 
had  a  serious  accident,  though  twice  he  has 
been  compelled  to  jump  from  his  engine  in 
order  to  save  his  life.  He  is  widely  and 
favorably  known  in  railroad  circles;  is  a 
member  of  the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive 
Engineers,  in  which  he  served  for  one  term 
as  assistant  engineer;  and  is  also  connected 
with  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge,  No.  i,  of  Al- 
ton. He  has  built  a  fine  home  at  No.  811 
West  Washington  street,  where  hospitality 
reigns  supreme  and  the  many  friends  of  the 
family  are  always  sure  of  a  hearty  welcome. 

On  the  25th  of  December,  1877,  was 
celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Spreen  and 
Miss  Elizabeth  Carter,  of  Alton,  and  to 
them  have  been  born  three  children:  Wal- 
ter William,  who  is  a  graduate  of  Brown's 
Business  College  and  now  holds  a  position 
with  the  drug  firm  of  Fuller  &  Fuller,  of 
Chicago;  Charles  Carter  and  Mildred  Chris- 
tina, who  is  still  attending  school.  Mrs. 
Spreen  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  the  older  son  holds  mem- 
bership in  the  Christian  church. 

Mrs.  Spreen  was  born,  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  Alton,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Charles 
and  Elizabeth  (Hunt)  Carter.  The  father 
was  born  in  Northampton,  Massachusetts, 
in  1828,  and  was  a  son  of  Henry  Carter,  of 
that  place,  while  the  mother  was  born  in 
Poughkeepsie,  New  York,  and  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  Hunt,  who  belonged  to  an 
old  family  of  New  York  City  and  on  com- 
ing west  located  in  Springfield,  Illinois. 
Charles  Carter,  Mrs.  Spreen's  father,  was 
reared  in  his  native  place  and  in  the  fall  of 
1 85 1  came  to  Illinois.  The  following  year 
he  became  connected  with  the  Chicago  & 
Alton  Railroad  as  conductor,  and  after  serv- 


ing in  that  capacity  for  some  years  was 
made  train  master.  He  had  charge  of  lay- 
ing the  track  from  Springfield  to  Blooming- 
ton,  and  as  a  fuel  agent  sold  wood  from  his 
land  to  the  road  in  early  days  when  A.  H. 
Moore  was  superintendent.  On  account  of 
injuring  his  eyes,  Mr.  Carter  had  to  give  up 
railroading  and  for  a  short  time  engaged  in 
farming  at  Shipman,  Illinois.  Selling  his 
property  there,  he  moved  to  Springfield  and 
formed  a  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Hibbs,  en- 
gaging in  merchant  tailoring  under  the  firm 
name  of  Carter  &  Hibbs.  During  the  Civil 
war  they  made  many  uniforms  and  did  an 
excellent  business.  He  spent  his  last  days 
in  retirement  from  active  labor  and  died 
April  2,  1880.  His  wife  is  still  living  as 
are  also  five  of  their  children.  Both  held 
membership  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  have  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
all  who  knew  them. 


DAVID  W.  STANGER.— Among  the 
residents  of  McLean  county,  who  by 
their  own  efforts  have  raised  themselves  to 
a  position  of  prominence,  and  by  honesty, 
uprightness  and  good  management  have 
reached  a  fair  degree  of  prosperity,  is  the 
gentleman  whose  name  stands  at  the  head 
of  this  review.  He  comes  of  good  German- 
American  stock,  his  ancestors  being  people 
of  considerable  prominence  and  education. 
His  paternal  grandfather  emigrated  to  this 
country,  locating  in  West  Virginia.  He 
was  a  great  student  and  a  man  of  much 
natural  ability,  and  received  his  education 
in  the  best  schools  of  Germany.  He  was  a 
graduate  of  colleges  of  medicine  and  theolo- 
gy, and  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity.  He  was  a  minister  in  the  German 
Lutheran  church,    and   a   wonderfully   elo- 


90 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


quent  speaker,  being  gifted  beyond  the 
average  man.  John  Stanger,  Jr.,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  was  one  of  six  children,  and 
moved  from  his  home  in  West  Virginia  to 
Indiana,  in  about  1820.  He  was  the  pro- 
prietor of  two  hundred  forty  acres  of  land, 
and  was  a  well-to-do  farmer,  upright  and 
honorable  in  all  his  dealings.  After  the 
death  of  his  first  wife  he  returned  to  his  old 
home,  where  he  remained  a  few  years,  and 
where  he  married  a  lady  by  whom  he  had 
ten  children.  After  his  second  marriage,  he 
returned  to  Indiana  where  he  resided  until 
his  death  in  1S84.  In  his  political  convic- 
tions he  was  a  Democrat,  and  a  strong  ad- 
herent to  that  party.  Prior  to  her  mar- 
riage, the  mother  of  our  subject  was  Miss 
Kattie  Brownlow,  of  Tennessee,  and  is  a 
cousin  of  Parson  Brownlow,  of  historic  fame. 
She  died  when  our  subject  was  thirty  hours 
old,  and  was  the  mother  of  six  children. 

David  W.  Stanger,  the  subject  of  this 
review,  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  Indiana, 
October  13,  1828,  where  he  was  reared  and 
educated,  the  greater  portion  of  his  time, 
prior  to  his  twenty-first  year,  in  farming. 
In  1849  he  removed  to  McLean  county, 
Illinois,  locating  in  Cheney's  Grove.  In 
March,  1853,  he  took  up  one  hundred  sixty 
acres  of  prairie  land,  upon  which  he  built, 
making  all  the  necessary  improvements, 
and  here  he  remained  for  six  years,  at  the 
end  of  that  time  going  to  California  where 
he  spent  one  year,  and  the  seven  years  fol- 
lowing in  the  gold  mines  of  Nevada.  In 
1879  he  went  to  Oregon,  where  he  spent 
some  time  prospecting,  and  then  returned  to 
Nevada  to  the  aforementioned  mines,  until 
1874,  when  he  returned  to  Illinois,  and  has 
since  made  this  state  his  permanant  home, 
living  a  quiet  and  retired  life  at  Normal. 

On   the    i8th    of   February,    1877,   Mr. 


Stanger  was  married  to  Miss  Nannie  Duke, 
a  daughter  of  Polly  and  Joel  Duke,  and  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  who  was  born  Septem- 
ber 16,  1838,  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1866. 
No  little  ones  have  come  to  bless  this  union, 
and  as  home  is  dark  without  the  light  of 
childhood,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stanger  adopted  a 
little  girl  of  one  year  who  was  born  April 
23,  1884.  Our  subject  is  a  self-made  man, 
who  has  reached  his  present  degree  of  pros- 
perity by  his  own  individual  efforts.  Polit- 
ically, he  is  an  advocate  of  high  tariff,  stand- 
ing firmly  upon  the  Republican  platform. 
He  is  a  member  of  no  particular  church, 
but  believes  in  and  practices  those  princi- 
ples which  the  church  teaches. 


TOHN  HAYNES,  a  retired  farmer  and 
kJ  carpenter,  now  residing  in  the  city  of 
Normal,  was  born  in  Shropshire,  England, 
March  9,  1831,  and  is  the  son  of  William 
and  Ann  (Baldwin)  Haynes,  both  of  whom 
were  also  natives  of  England.  William 
Haynes  was  a  cooper  by  trade  and  a  good 
mechanic.  He  was  a  worthy  man,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church  of  England,  a  pew  holder, 
a  free  holder  and  a  man  of  influence.  His 
counsel  to  his  children,  and  especially  to 
John,  was  to  keep  good  company  or  none, 
for  "evil  communications  corrupt  good 
morals."  He  died  in  1839,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-eight  years.  His  wife  died  later  in 
life,  and  in  a  triumphant  state  of  mind  and 
heart,  bestowing  on  her  children  the  bene- 
dictions of  God. 

The  genealogy  and  armorial  designs  of 
the  Haynes  family  runs  back  in  Montgom- 
eryshire, through  Einion  to  Gwinn,  Lord  of 
Guilsfield,  son  of  Griffith  ap  Beli,  descend- 
ant of  Brockwell  Yschithrog,  Prince  of 
Powys,    who    reigned    in    A.    D.   607,   over 


JOHN   HAYNES. 


,V    '(<J 


l;K 


ENOX 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


93 


Powysland,  Wales.  Gen.  James  Haynes, 
who  captured  the  Isle  of  Jersey  under  Crom- 
well, and  was  its  governor  in  1652,  used 
upon  his  seal  attached  to  official  papers  the 
same  arms  as  the  Shropshire  and  Mont- 
gomeryshire family  of  Haynes.  His  crest 
was  the  golden  eagle  displayed  standing  on 
a  tortoise.  He  used  as  a  motto.  "  There 
is  no  difficulty  to  him  that  wills."  The 
genealogy  of  the  family  is  traced  back  for 
fourteen  generations,  and  is  connected  with 
the  first  families  of  Wales  with  royal  blood 
in  their  veins.  Credit  for  the  above  genea- 
logy is  due  A.  M.  Haynes,  of  Galena,  Illi- 
nois. 

William  and  Ann  Haynes  had  born  to 
them  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  yet 
living,  viz.:  Mrs.  Margaret  Edwards,  Mrs. 
Ann  Icke,  Mrs.  Mary  Cealey,  Thomas  and 
John,  the  latter  being  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  He  was  the  eldest  son,  and  his 
early  training  and  education  was  received 
in  his  native  place.  He  was  educated  un- 
der the  supervision  of  the  church  of  England, 
with  the  New  Testament  as  reader.  He 
completed  his  school  life  when  eleven  years 
of  age,  and  then  hired  out  to  a  farmer  for 
two  pounds  (about  ten  dollars)  and  a  pair 
of  shoes  for  one  year's  work,  but  the  shoes 
he  never  saw.  After  working  on  a  farm 
for  five  years  and  saving  some  money,  he 
bound  himself  to  a  carpenter  and  wheel- 
wright until  he  was  twenty  years  old.  After 
his  time  was  served,  he  worked  as  a  jour- 
neyman for  seven  years,  at  one  pound  (five 
dollars)  per  week. 

In  1859,  work  being  slack  in   his  native 

country,  and  seeing  no  prospect  of  speedy 

improvement,    Mr.   Haynes  turned  his  face 

westward  to  that   land   where  all  men  are 

free  and  equal,  and  where  man  is  liberally 

remunerated  for  his  labor.      After  a  stormy 
5 


voyage  of  twenty  days,  he  arrived  in  New 
York,  February  22,  1859,  from  which  place 
he  went  at  once  to  Berlin,  Wisconsin,  thence 
to  Chicago,  and  from  there  to  St.  Louis. 
Not  finding  employment,  he  went  to  Ivan- 
sas,  and  from  there  to  Independence,  Mis- 
souri, having  traveled  three  thousand  miles 
before  he  was  engaged  as  a  mechanic. 
While  he  was  employed  in  Missouri,  a  short 
distance  from  Independence,  he  unconscious- 
ly became  involved  in  the  slavery  question, 
which  caused  him  considerable  trouble,  and 
nearly  a  flogging.  One  of  his  employer's 
slaves  being,ssked  by  a  fellow  workman  if 
sh^.'-^mmi^^reier  slavery  to  freedom,  re- 
plied'tnait  sWe' preferred  freedom  and  stated 
her  reasons,  to  which  Mr.  Haynes  said 
Amen!  This  came  to  his  employer's  ears, 
and  a  retraction  was  demanded  of  him,  or 
he  should  suffer  a  flogging.  He  was  willing 
to  be  flogged,  but  with  his  eyes  open  to  the 
evils  of  slavery  he  could  not  take  back  his 
words.  He  had  the  courage  of  his  convic- 
tions and  his  employer  saw  it.  He  was 
finally  excused  because  of  his  ignorance  of 
the  existing  laws.  This  circumstance  dis- 
gusted him  with  the  laws  that  sanctioned 
human  bondage  and  so  he  left  Independence 
for  Illinois.  However,  he  stopped  for  a 
short  time  at  Hannibal,  Missouri,  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade,  but  here  he  again  got 
into  trouble  on  the  slavery  question.  On 
Sunday  he  attended  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church,  and  on  the  next  day  he  was 
discharged,  not  because  he  went  to  church, 
but  because  it  was  a  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  North. 

From  this  slavery-cursed  state  he  hast- 
ened, and  was  pleased  to  be  located  in  a 
pure  atmosphere  before  John  Brown  left  for 
Harper's  Ferry.  In  September,  1859,  he 
arirved  at  Normal  and  found  employment  on 


94 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


the  Normal  School  building  at  one  dollar  and 
twenty-five  cents  per  day  and  his  board. 
He  worked  on  the  building  until  February, 
i860,  but  never  received  his  wages,  the  con- 
tractor drawing  his  money  and  skipping  the 
state.  So  for  his  fall  and  winter's  work  he 
received  only  his  board,  and  consequently 
feels  that  he  has  an  interest  in  the  Illinois 
State  Normal  School  which  is  likely  to  last 
his  lifetime. 

In  the  spring  of  i860,  Mr.  Haynes  went 
to  Hudson,  McLean  county,  where  he  rented 
a  small  farm  and  there  remained  for  two 
years.  During  this  early  day  there  were  no 
fences  to  keep  the  stock  within  bounds,  or 
to  keep  them  from  wandering  at  will  over 
the  prairie.  Under  these  circumstances  it 
was  necessary  to  confine  the  calf  that  the 
dam  might  remain  near  by.  On  one  occa- 
sion Mr.  Haynes  lost  a  calf,  thus  losing  that 
attraction  which  would  naturally  keep  the 
parent  cow  at  home.  He  therefore  skinned 
the  dead  calf,  placing  the  skin  on  another 
but  strange  calf,  to  induce  the  parent  to 
adopt  it,  which  she  did  after  a  very  critical 
investigation.  This  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  greatest  impositions  that  was  ever  played 
upon  a  poor,  unsuspecting  cow.  On  this 
Hudson  farm  he  raised  good  crops,  and  his 
first  load  of  grain  he  gave  to  the  Kansas  suf- 
ferers. His  brother  Thomas  was  with  him 
at  this  time,  and  on  the  breaking  out  of 
the  civil  war,  in  1861,  Thomas  joined  the 
Fifty-second  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
was  with  Sherman  on  his  march  to  the  sea. 
The  following  year  John  Haynes  also  en- 
listed, becoming  a  member  of  Company  E, 
Ninety-fourth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
which  was  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
McNulty,  his  company  commander  being 
Captain  Rowe.  With  his  regiment  he  par- 
ticipated in  the  battle  of  Springfield,  Mis- 


souri, siege  of  Vicksburg,  and  other  engage- 
ments of  minor  importance.  On  account 
of  his  mechanical  skill,  he  was  the  first  win- 
ter placed  on  detached  duty.  After  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg  his  command  was  sent  to 
Brownsville,  Texas,  by  way  of  New  Orleans, 
and  at  the  latter  place  he  was  discharged  in 
June,  1865. 

On  his  return  to  civil  life,  Mr.  Haynes 
chose  for  himself  a  life  companion  in  the 
person  of  Mrs.  Mary  Dunseth,  daughter  of 
Adam  Henthorn,  to  whom  he  was  wedded 
in  September,  1865.  By  this  union  there 
were  two  children  born,  Nettie  A.,  born 
September  5,  1866,  and  an  infant  died  un- 
named, born  in  1869.  Mrs.  Mary  Haynes 
was  a  native  of  Hudson  township,  McLean 
county,  and  died  in  September,  1869.  For 
his  second  wife,  Mr.  Haynes  married  Mrs. 
Eliza  Myers,  nee  Rowe,  a  native  of  Picka- 
way county,  Ohio,  born  August  3,  1830. 
They  were  married  December  14,  1869,  and 
by  this  union  there  were  born  three  chil- 
dren: Cora  A.,  now  deceased,  October  9, 
1870;  Emma  S.,  October  17,  1872;  and 
JohnF. ,  January  4,  1876. 

In  1876  Mr.  Haynes  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land,  near  Hudson, 
upon  which  he  resided  nine  years,  engaged 
successfully  in  farming  and  stock  raising. 
In  1883,  he  purchased  another  farm  of  eighty 
acres,  which  like  the  first,  was  under  im- 
provement. He  still  owns  the  two  farms, 
as  well  as  much  valuable  property  in  the 
city  of  Normal,  where  he  is  now  comfort- 
ably situated  in  the  evening  of  life.  He  and 
his  family  are  consistent  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  was  con- 
verted in  England  in  1854,  and  has  been 
identified  with  the  church  ever  since.  He 
has  held  the  office  of  trustee  and  class  leader 
since   1865,  and    has    been    a    faithful   and 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


95 


efficient  member  of  the  Sunday-school  for 
many  years,  a  teacher  of  the  Bible  class, 
for  which  he  has  received  a  diploma  each 
year  for  the  past  five  years  from  the  Loyal 
Sunday-school  Department  of  Illinois. 

In  politics  Mr.  Haynes  is  a  Republican, 
and  has  held  the  offices  of  school  director, 
road  commissioner,  and  other  minor  local 
offices  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  constituents. 
He  is  truly  a  self-made  man,  and  through 
all  his  varied  experiences  he  has  never  lost 
sight  of  that  hand  that  guides  the  world  and 
moves  the  hearts  of  men.  Looking  back 
on  his  past  life,  he  can  thus  say  with  the 
poet:  "Thus  far  the  Lord  hath  led  me 
on;  thus  far  his  power  prolongs  my  days." 


GEORGE  ALFORD  STRINGFIELD, 
the  well- known  proprietor  of  the  String- 
field  Music  House  of  Bloomington,  is  a  true 
type  of  western  progress  and  enterprise.  His 
intellectual  energy,  prudent  business  methods 
and  reliable  sagacity  have  all  combined  to 
make  him  one  of  the  ablest  business  men  of 
the  city. 

Mr.  Stringfield  is  a  native  of  McLean 
county,  born  on  a  farm  two  miles  southeast 
of  Randolph,  July  6,  1862,  and  he  is  a  rep- 
resentative of  an  honored  pioneer  family  of 
the  state  and  county.  His  grandfather, 
Alfred  M.  Stringfield,  was  born  in  Hunts- 
ville,  Alabama,  October  14,  1809,  and  when 
a  lad  of  nine  years  came  to  Illinois  with  his 
father,  John  Stringfield,  stopping  first  in 
White  county,  and  later  locating  near  Spring- 
field, in  Sangamon  county,  where  his  father 
died  only  nine  days  after  his  arrival  there. 
He  left  his  family  without  a  home  or  any 
means  of  support,  as  he  had  lost  all  his 
money   in  the  south   by  going  security  for 


others,  and  had  come  north  with  the  hope 
of  retrieving  his  lost  possessions.  After  the 
father's  death  the  family  came  to  Randolph 
Grove,  McLean  county,  and  located  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Dr.  Stewart,  which  was 
entered  by  the  grandfather  of  our  subject  in 
his  mother's  name.  The  family  went  to  Jo 
Daviess  county,  where  he  worked  in  the 
lead  mines  to  earn  the  money  to  enter  his 
land,  and  there  his  mother  died.  After 
securing  the  needed  amount  they  all  re- 
turned to  McLean  county,  and  the  grand- 
father turned  his  attention  to  the  improve- 
ment and  cultivation  of  his  land.  He  fol- 
lowed general  farming  throughout  life,  and 
met  with  well-deserved  success,  owning  at 
one  time  over  four  hundred  acres  of  valua- 
ble land  in  this  county.  On  the  25th  of 
March,  1832,  he  married  Miss  Amelia  T. 
Hand,  of  Randolph  Grove,  a  daughter  of 
George  C.  Hand,  who  came  here  from  Ohio, 
but  had  previously  lived  in  Pennsylvania. 
Of  the  ten  children  born  of  this  union, 
eight  reached  years  of  maturity.  The 
parents  were  both  active  and  prominent 
members  of  the  pioneer  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  this  region,  and  Mr.  Stringfield 
served  as  class  leader  and  steward  and  filled 
other  church  offices.  The  father  of  our 
subject  can  well  remember  the  early  camp- 
meetings  held  near  their  home,  when  the 
little  dwelling  was  filled  with  all  that  could 
could  be  accommodated  at  night  in  the  beds 
and  on  the  floor.  The  grandfather  was 
quite  a  prominent  and  influential  man  of  his 
community,  and  was  called  upon  to  fill 
several  township  offices,  including  those  of 
supervisor  and  justice  of  the  peace.  He 
died  June  15,  1895,  and  his  wife  passed 
away  September  6,  1885. 

Jesse   F.  Stringfield,  father  of  our  sub- 
ject,  was    born    in    Randolph    Grove,   this 


96 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


county,  September  26,  1835,  was  reared  on 
the  home  farm  and  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  the  neighborhood.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  1 861,  to  Miss  Mary  F.  Land,  who 
died  in  the  latter  part  of  1862,  leaving  one 
son,  George  A.,  of  this  review.  She  was 
also  a  native  of  Randolph  township,  and  a 
daughter  of  George  W.  Land,  originally 
from  Kentucky.  Mr.  Stringfield  has  never 
again  married.  In  1862  he  took  a  part  of 
his  father's  farm  and  throughout  his  active 
business  life  was  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits.  After  the  death  of  his  wife  he  re- 
turned to  his  father's  home  and  for  many 
years  they  were  in  partnership  in  their  farm- 
ing operations.  In  later  years  he  had  en- 
tire charge  of  the  business  and  still  owns  a 
part  of  the  old  homestead,  but  for  the  past 
four  years  has  lived  retired  from  active  labor, 
making  his  home  with  his  son  in  Blooming- 
ton.  He  is  a  faithful  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  has 
served  as  steward  and  trustee  for  many 
years,  and  by  his  upright,  honorable  life  he 
has  gained  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all 
with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact. 

The  early  education  of  George  A.  String- 
field  was  acquired  in  the  public  schools  of 
McLean  county,  and  in  the  fall  of  1881  he 
entered  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  University, 
where  he  pursued  his  studies  for  one  year. 
As  his  mother  died  when  he  was  only  two 
months  old,  he  was  reared  in  his  grandfa- 
ther's home,  and  after  leaving  school  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  with  his  father  on  the  old 
homestead  until  1889.  In  the  spring  of 
1889,  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace 
for  Randolph  township  and  filled  that  office 
for  four  years.  In  the  meantime  he  had 
acquired  a  taste  for  the  real  estate  business 
and  displayed  considerable  ability  along  that 
line,    and    on    coming    to    Bloomington,   in 


1889,  he  opened  an  office  and  for  several 
years  devoted  his  entire  time  and  attention 
to  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business, 
meeting  with  marked  success.  He  handled 
a  large  amount  of  real  estate,  mostly  for 
himself,  and  dealt  chiefly  in  farming  land, 
not  only  in  this  county  but  elsewhere  in  the 
state  and  also  in  adjoining  states.  He  has 
owned  a  great  many  hundred  acres,  and  still 
has  fifteen  hundred  acres.  He  is  yet  inter- 
ested in  the  real  estate  business,  which  he 
carried  on  exclusively  until  October,  1894, 
when  he  became  connected  with  the  old  J. 
T.  Adams  Music  House.  Later  he  took  full 
control  of  the  business  and  removed  to  his 
present  elegant  room  at  No.  528  Hoblit 
Buildings,  being  the  first  tenant  in  the  same. 
Here  he  carries  a  full  line  of  musical  mer- 
chandise, pianos,  etc.,  having  the  largest 
and  best  selected  stock  of  the  kind  in  the 
city,  and  employment  is  furnished  to  four 
people.  Besides  the  business  already  men- 
tioned Mr.  Stringfield  conducts  a  farm  of 
eight  hundred  acres,  on  which  he  employs 
a  number  of  men  to  do  general  farming. 

On  the  25th  of  November,  1891,  Mr. 
Stringfield  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Lovisa  A.  Thomas,  a  daughter  of  W.  D. 
Thomas,  deceased,  of  South  Charleston, 
Ohio.  One  child  blesses  this  union,  Aleta 
May.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stringfield  are  both 
active  and  prominent  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church,  with  which  he  has 
been  connected  for  thirteen  years,  and  has 
served  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  and  a  member  of  the  board.  He  is 
a  Democrat  in  politics  but  not  an  advocate 
of  the  free  coinage  of  silver,  at  a  ratio  of 
sixteen  to  one.  Courteous,  genial,  well-in- 
formed, alert  and  enterprising,  he  stands 
to-day  one  of  the  leading  representative  men 
of  the  city. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD, 


97 


AARON  P.  RHODES.  The  world  in- 
stinctively pays  deference  to  the  man 
whose  success  has  been  worthily  achieved 
and  one  who  has  gained  a  high  reputation 
in  his  chosen  calling.  Through  his  own 
well-directed  efforts,  Mr.  Rhodes  has  be- 
come one  of  the  most  prosperous,  as  well 
as  one  of  the  most  extensive  farmers,  and 
stock  raisers  of  McLean  county.  He  has 
made  good  use  of  his  opportunities,  has  con- 
ducted all  business  matters  carefully  and 
successfully  and  in  all  his  acts  displays  an 
aptitude  for  successful  management. 

This  well-known  agriculturist  of  Bloom- 
ington  township  is  a  native  of  McLean 
county,  his  birth  occurring  in  the  township 
where  he  still  lives,  on  the  1 8th  of  April, 
1834.  His  parents,  John  H.  S.  and  Mary 
(Johnson)  Rhodes,  are  presented  on  another 
page  of  this  volume.  During  his  boyhood 
and  youth  he  attended  the  common  schools, 
and  became  familiar  with  all  the  duties 
which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist, 
aiding  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home 
farm  until  1859,  when  he  entered  Eureka 
College  and  took  an  elective  course. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war, 
Mr.  Rhodes  offered  his  services  to  the 
country,  enlisting  in  May,  1861,  in  Com- 
pany G,  Seventeenth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, which  was  first  sent  to  Missouri 
under  General  Prentice.  They  went  down 
the  Mississippi  river  to  Bird's  Point,  and 
later  met  the  enemy  at  Cape  Girardeau, 
Iron  Mountain  and  Pilot  Knob,  where  en- 
gagements were  brought  on.  On  the  expi- 
ration of  his  three  months'  term,  our  subject 
re-enlisted  in  the  same  company  and  regi- 
ment, and  later  participated  in  the  battles 
of  Fort  Henry,  Fort  Donelson,  Shiloh,  Mem- 
phis, Vicksburg,  Jackson  and  Black  river. 
Jlis  firgt  engagement  was  at  Fredericksburg, 


and  he  later  took  part  in  all  of  the  battles 
and  skirmishes  in  which  his  regiment  was 
engaged.  He  was  mustered  out  at  Spring- 
field, Illinois,  late  in  the  year  1864  and  re- 
turned home  with  a  war  record  of  which  he 
may  be  justly  proud. 

Mr.  Rhodes  then  located  on  a  tract  of 
ninety  acres  of  land  given  him  by  his  father, 
who  owned  twenty-one  hundred  acres  in 
Bloomington  township,  and  upon  that  place 
he  still  resides,  having  built  in  1875  what  is 
considered  the  best  country  home  in  the 
township.  It  is  surrounded  by  a  beautiful 
lawn  and  in  all  its  appointments  is  a  most 
attractive  place.  Mr.  Rhodes  began  his 
business  career  as  a  dealer  in  mules,  for 
twelve  years  buying,  feeding  and  shipping 
mules  quite  extensively,  and  he  found  the 
business  quite  remunerative  until  1877. 
During  this  time  he  kept  adding  to  his  farm 
from  time  to  time  and  also  became  inter- 
ested in  cattle  and  hogs  as  a  feeder  and 
dealer,  and  in  heavy  draft  horses  as  an  im- 
porter and  breeder,  always  keeping  about 
fifty  head  and  selling  the  same  when  three 
or  four  years  old.  Of  more  recent  years  he 
has  lived  rather  retired,  and  now  rents  all 
of  his  land  with  the  exception  of  twenty-five 
acres.  So  prosperous  has  he  been,  that  he 
now  is  the  owner  of  ten  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  of  land  in  Bloomington  township,  and 
has  large  tracts  of  land  in  the  west.  He  is 
also  a  heavy  stockholder  in  the  Third  Na- 
tional Bank  at  Bloomington,  and  has  been 
offered  a  directorship  but  declined.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  stockholders,  buying  his  stock 
at  first  for  one  dollar  and  eight  cents,  but 
for  his  last  he  paid  two  dollars  and  ten  cents, 
so  valuable  has  it  become. 

Mr.  Rhodes  first  married  Miss  Mattie  M. 
Cox,  of  Bloomington,  a  daughter  of  David 
Cox,  a  farmer  of  his   neighborhood,   who 


98 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


came  to  McLean  county  as  early  as  1826. 
They  were  married  November  21,  1864,  and 
she  died  in  February,  1876,  leaving  two  chil- 
dren: Edward  is  a  graduate  of  the  Bloom- 
ington  high  schools,  has  also  attended  the 
college  at  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  and  spent 
four  years  at  the  State  University  at  Cham- 
paign, graduating  from  the  law  department; 
and  Ora  M.,  after  graduating  at  Normal, 
took  a  four-years  course  at  Champaign, 
where  he  was  granted  the  degree  of  A.  B., 
and  is  now  a  student  at  the  College  of  Phy- 
sicians and  Surgeons,  of  Chicago.  He  grad- 
uated from  the  Military  School  at  Cham- 
paign, and  now  holds  a  commission  as  cap- 
tain in  the  regular  army,  but  was  not  called 
into  service  during  the  Spanish-American 
war.  On  the  9th  of  November,  1882,  Mr. 
Rhodes  married  Miss  Charlotte  Reid,  of 
Champaign  county,  Ohio,  where  her  father, 
Robert  Reid,  was  a  farmer.  They  both 
died  in  McLean  county — he  in  1892 — she  in 
1895.  Mrs.  Rhodes  taught  school  for  twelve 
years  in  Ohio,  and  after  coming  to  McLean 
county,  taught  for  four  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rhodes  attend  the  Chris- 
tian church  and  are  numbered  among  the 
most  prominent  and  highly  esteemed  citi- 
zens of  this  community.  He  casts  his  bal- 
lot with  the  Republican  party,  has  served 
as  supervisor  of  Bloomington  township,  and 
was  highway  commissioner  for  seven  years. 
He  has  also  served  as  township  school  trus- 
tee and  school  director  of  his  district,  and 
has  ever  taken  a  deep  and  commendable  in- 
terest in  education  affairs,  giving  his  sons 
the  very  best  of  opportunities  along  that  line. 
He  is  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability 
and  force  of  character  and  by  his  industry, 
close  attention  to  business  and  sound  judg- 
ment he  has  acquired  a  handsome  compe- 
tence, which  now  enables  him  to  practical- 


ly live  retired.  His  pleasant,  genial  man- 
ner, which  combined  with  his  sterling  worth, 
makes  him  one  of  the  popular  citizens  of 
his  native  county. 


REV.  STANLEY  A.  McKAY,  D.  D.,  is 
a  man  whose  whole  life  has  been  de- 
voted to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  he  is 
now  the  beloved  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
church  of  Bloomington,  with  which  he  has 
been  identified  for  the  past  three  years. 

He  was  born  in  Mansfield,  Cattaraugus 
county.  New  York,  September  11,  1850,  a 
son  of  Hiram  V.  R.  and  Tryphena  L.  (Ful- 
ler) McKay.  The  father  was  born  in  Attica, 
New  York,  March  5,  1822,  but  early  in  life 
removed  to  Cattaraugus  county  with  his  fa- 
ther, Silas  McKay,  a  pioneer  of  that  region, 
who  opened  up  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the 
central  part  of  the  county.  The  grandfa- 
ther of  our  subject  was  quite  a  prominent 
man  in  his  community,  was  captain  of  a  mi- 
litia company  and  was  known  as  Captain 
Silas  McKay.  His  great-grandfather,  Alex- 
ander McKay,  came  to  this  country  from 
Scotland.  On  the  maternal  side  our  subject 
is  a  direct  descendant  of  Roger  Williams, 
his  mother's  grandmother  being  a  Miss  Will- 
iams. All  of  his  ancestors  came  to  America 
prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war,  several  of 
whom  served  in  the  Continental  army, 
which  fact  makes  the  Doctor  eligible  to  mem- 
bership in  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution.  Hi- 
ram V.  R.  McKay,  the  Doctor's  father,  is 
the  seventh  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of 
ten  sons,  of  whom  nine  lived  until  the 
youngest  was  sixty  years  old.  He  engaged 
in  farming  first  at  Mansfield,  New  York, 
then  carried  on  the  same  occupation  at 
Salamanca,  but  most   of  his  life  has  been 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


99 


passed  in  Little  Valley,  though  he  now  lives 
in  Ellicottville,  New  York.  At  an  early  day 
he  was  a  strong  abolitionist,  and  as  a  "con- 
ductor" on  the  "  underground  railroad  "  he 
assisted  more  than  one  slave  on  his  way  to 
Canada  and  freedom.  He  has  been  a  firm 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party  since  its 
organization,  and  filled  the  office  of  justice 
of  the  peace  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is 
a  sincere  Christian  man,  was  a  member  of  a 
Freewill  Baptist  church  during  its  existence, 
served  as  deacon  and  clerk  in  the  same  for 
twenty  years.  His  wife,  who  departed  this  life 
December  3,  1879,  was  a  faithful  member  of 
the  same  church,  and  was  a  lady  of  marked 
intelligence  and  energy  of  character.  She 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  school  teachers  of 
Cattaraugus  county,  New  York,  where  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  years  she  opened  a 
school  in  a  lumber  camp.  The  school  room 
was  only  fifteen  feet  wide,  with  seats  of 
shingle  blocks,  and  when  school  opened 
there  was  but  one  book,  a  frayed  and  worn 
New  Testament,  in  the  entire  school.  The 
book  equipment  was  later  greatly  enlarged 
by  an  edition  of  an  old  English  reader  and 
a  part  of  Cobb's  speller.  She  taught  there 
for  a  number  of  years.  She  was  born  in 
Elba,  New  York,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Cy- 
rus W.  Fuller,  who  opened  up  a  farm  in 
what  is  now  a  portion  of  the  village  of  Little 
Valley,  Cattaraugus  county.  She  was  the 
mother  of  two  children:  Stanley  A.,  of 
this  sketch;  and  Flora  L. ,  who  died  in  Min- 
nesota, May  23,  1893. 

Dr.  McKay  began  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Little  Valley,  and  later 
entered  Chamberlain  Institute  at  Randolph, 
New  York,  but  finished  his  preparation  for 
college  at  Ten  Broeck  Free  Academy,  Frank- 
linville,  that  state.  In  1874  he  became  a 
Student  in  the  University  of  Rochester,  where 


he  was  graduated  with  the  degree  of  A.  B., 
in  1878.  He  then  pursued  a  three-years 
course  in  the  Rochester  Theological  Semin- 
ary, and  immediately  after  leaving  school 
in  the  spring  of  1881,  he  took  charge  of  a 
small  church  at  Lyons,  New  York,  with  a 
membership  of  sixteen,  twelve  of  these  be- 
ing active  members.  He  was  ordained  July 
13,  1 88 1.  During  his  theological  course  his 
mother  and  both  his  wife's  parents  died. 
December  29,  1879,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Helens.  Crandall,  a  daughter  of  P.  M.  Cran- 
dall,  an  attorney  of  Rochester,  New  York. 
Dr.  McKay  remained  in  Lyons  until 
January,  1887,  and  built  up  the  congrega- 
tion, taking  into  the  membership  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  members.  He  went 
there  as  a  mission  pastor,  but  left  it  self- 
supporting  and  free  from  debt  and  with  an 
endowment  of  five  thousand  dollars.  He 
bought  a  good  parsonage  and  also  enlarged 
the  church  edifice.  His  next  charge  was  a 
church  of  two  hundred  thirty  members  at 
Canandaigua,  New  York,  and  it  proved  a 
pleasant  pastorate.  During  the  two  years 
and  a  half  he  spent  there  he  removed  the 
indebtedness  of  forty-one  hundred  dollars, 
and  ninety  persons  were  received  into  the 
church,  mostly  by  baptism.  While  there, 
he  was  for  one  year  president  of  the  Gene- 
see Baptist  Ministers  Conference,  which  held 
its  regular  monthly  meetings  at  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  in  Rochester.  Dr.  McKay 
was  next  called  to  Owatonna,  Minnesota, 
where  the  late  George  Pillsbury  was  erect- 
ing new  buildings  for  the  institute  now  known 
as  Pillsbury  Academy,  to  which  he  made 
large  endowments.  For  two  years  during 
his  residence  there  our  subject  lectured  at 
that  school  on  Old  Testament  history.  He 
also  had  charge  of  a  Baptist  church,  which 
at  first   numbered   only  one   hundred   and 


872171 


lOO 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ninety  members,  but  under  his  pastorate  two 
hundred  and  ten  were  added  to  the  church. 
A  new  edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  twen- 
ty-four thousand  dollars,  of  which  twenty 
thousand  dollars  was  raised  for  the  building 
proper.  Dr.  McKay  next  accepted  a  call 
to  the  First  Baptist  church  of  La  Crosse, 
Wisconsin,  where  his  work  was  chiefly  in 
reconstructing  the  church  and  placing  a  fine 
new  pipe  organ  in  the  same,  these  repairs 
amounting  to  sixty-five  hundred  dollars. 
During  the  summer  of  1896  he  was  engaged 
as  supply  of  a  church  at  Wauwatosa,  a  sub- 
urb of  Milwaukee,  and  on  the  ist  of  Sep- 
tember, 1896,  received  a  call  from  the  First 
Baptist  church  of  Bloomington,  with  which 
he  has  since  been  connected.  It  is  a  strong 
church  and  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  city. 
Its  membership  is  now  eight  hundred  and 
twenty-nine.  During  his  ministry  here  Dr. 
McKay  has  removed  an  indebtedness  of 
seven  thousand  six  hundred  dollars  that  has 
hung  over  this  church  for  years,  and  he  has 
thus  given  to  the  church  new  life.  He  is  a 
zealous  and  active  worker  in  the  cause  of 
the  Master  and  is  greatly  beloved  by  all  who 
know  him,  those  outside  of  his  own  congre- 
gation as  well  as  those  within.  During  his 
residence  in  Minnesota,  Wisconsin  and  Illi- 
nois, he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
State  Board  of  Missions,  and  at  present  is 
a  member  of  the  executive  committee  for 
Illinois.  He  is  also  a  trustee  of  Shurtliff 
College,  which  institution  conferred  the  hon- 
orary degree  of  D.  D.  upon  him  in  1898, 
and  elected  him  a  trustee  at  the  same  time. 
For  nine  years  he  was  chaplain  of  the  New 
York  State  Grange,  an  organization  which 
is  now  the  most  powerful  of  its  kind  in  the 
world  and  has  a  membership  of  eighty  thou- 
sand in  that  state.  In  the  west  his  church 
work  has  absorbed  all  his  time.     He  is  one 


of    the    working    members    of   the    College- 
Alumni  Club  and  is    one  of  the   executive 
committee. 


ASA  HARVEY  MOORE  is  now  living  a 
retired  life  in  Bloomington,  but  it 
would  be  difficult  to  find  any  individual  who 
has  been  more  actively,  prominently  and 
honorably  connected  with  the  industrial 
and  commercial  interests  of  the  city  and 
state  through  a  longer  period  than  has  the 
subject  of  this  review.  His  success  in  life 
has  been  most  marked,  yet  it  is  but  the  log- 
ical result  of  well  directed  efforts.  If  those 
who  claim  that  fortune  has  favored  cer- 
tain individuals  above  others  will  but  inves- 
tigate the  cause  of  success  and  failure,  it 
will  be  found  that  the  former  is  largely  due 
to  the  wise  improvement  of  opportunity,  the 
latter  to  the  neglect  of  it.  Fortunate  en- 
vironment encompasses  nearly  every  'man 
at  some  stage  in  his  career,  but  the  strong 
man  and  the  successful  man  is  he  who  real- 
izes that  the  proper  moment  has  come,  that 
the  present  and  not  the  future  holds  his  op- 
portunity. The  man  who  makes  use  of  the 
Now  and  not  the  To  Be  is  he  who  passes 
on  the  highway  of  life  others  who  started 
out  ahead  of  him,  and  reaches  the  goal  far 
in  advance  of  them.  It  is  this  quality  in 
Mr.  Moore  that  has  made  him  a  leader  in 
the  business  world  and  won  him  a  name  in 
connection  with  industrial  and  railroad  in- 
terets  that  is  known  throughout  the  state. 
He  was  born  in  Rutland,  Worcester 
county,  Massachusetts,  October  28,  1820, 
and  is  a  son  of  Asa  and  Sabra  (Lover)  Moore. 
The  father  was  born  and  reared  in  Royal- 
ston,  Massachusetts,  and  became  a  contract- 
or, builder  and  real  estate  dealer.  His  wife 
was  also  a  native  of  Royalston,  where  they 


-3R    JH     CKtCAGD 


A.  H.  Moore. 


THE  NEW  YORK 
PUBUC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR,  LENOX 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


103 


resided  for  some  years  after  their  marriage 
and  then  removed  to  Rutland.  Later  they 
went  to  Princeton,  but  the  father  died  at 
the  home  of  a  daughter  in  Oakham,  aged 
eighty-three  years.  They  were  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  had  a  family  of 
two  sons  and  three  daughters. 

Asa  H.  Moore  attended  the  public  schools 
of  Rutland  and  a  boarding  school  at  Worces- 
ter, Massachusetts,  after  which  he  entered 
upon  his  business  career  as  an  employe  of  the 
Boston  &  Worcester  Railroad  Company  in 
their  freight  house  at  Grafton.  Before  the 
completion  of  the  Boston  and  Albany  road, 
he  entered  the  employ  of  that  company. 
Major  George  W.  Whistler,  the  civil  engin- 
eer in  charge  of  the  construction,  wished  to 
get  from  Worcester  to  Springfield,  but  at 
that  time  there  had  been  no  passenger  train 
over  the  road.  S.  P.  Lee,  the  manager,  re- 
quested Mr.  Moore  to  take  the  Major  to 
Springfield;  they  started  at  nine  P.  M.  on 
their  run  of  sixty  miles,  arriving  at  their 
destination  at  midnight,  and  thus  Mr.  Moore 
was  conductor  of  the  first  passenger  train  on 
that  line.  Later  he  was  conductor  on  a 
train  running  from  Boston  to  Springfield  for 
five  years,  and  when  the  Old  Colony  Rail- 
road was  built  from  Boston  to  Plymouth,  he 
he  was  induced  to  join  the  latter  road  by  a 
friend  who  was  superintendent.  His  con- 
nection therewith  continued  five  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  Daniel  Webster  was  often 
one  of  the  passengers.  After  a  vacation  of  a 
year  he  was  induced  to  go  to  Laporte,  Indi- 
ana, on  the  Michigan  Southern  Railroad, 
and  was  given  the  position  of  assistant  super- 
intendent in  the  year  in  which  the  road 
was  opened.  He  had  charge  of  the  division 
from  Chicago  to  White  Pigeon,  Michigan, 
and  of  the  shops  at  Laporte,  continuing  in 
that  position  until  1854,  during  which  time 


many  improvements  were  made  on  the  road 
and  in  connection  with  the  administration 
of  its  business  affairs.  In  1854  he  left  La- 
porte, owing  to  the  persuasion  of  George 
Bliss,  of  Springfield,  a  director  of  the  Michi- 
gan Southern,  who  was  also  interested  in 
the  Chicago  and  Mississippi  road.  The 
following  morning  he  assumed  his  duties 
under  the  title  of  train  master.  The  com- 
pany with  which  he  was  now  connected  had 
run  the  second  train  from  Joliet  to  this  city. 
The  line  extended  from  Joliet  to  Alton,  and 
the  road  was  built  by  Henry  Dwight,  a  New 
York  capitalist,  who  lost  his  fortune  in  this 
venture.  After  a  year  R.  P.  Morgan,  Mr. 
Moore's  superior  officer,  resigned,  and  the 
latter  was  appointed  general  superintendent 
by  Mr.  Dwight,  of  what  is  now  the  Chicago  & 
Alton  road.  When  Mr.  Dwight  failed,  ow- 
ing all  the  employes  and  many  others.  Gov- 
ernor Matteson,  who  was  a  large  creditor, 
was  elected  president,  and  under  his  admin- 
istration and  during  the  superintendency  of 
Mr.  Moore  the  road  was  completed  from  Jol- 
iet to  Chicago,  and  from  Alton  to  East  St. 
Louis,  thus  affording  good  terminals.  T. 
B.  Blackstone,  who  is  now  president  of  the 
road,  was  then  the  civil  engineer,  and  run 
the  line  from  Joliet  to  Chicago.  Under  his 
direction  this  road  has  gained  its  present 
high  standing  and  reliability.  Mr.  Moore 
continued  as  general  superintendent  until 
about  the  time  it  passed  from  the  hands  of 
Governor  Matteson  in  1859. 

In  the  meantime  he  had  made  extensive 
investments  in  Bloomington  real  estate, 
which  was  rapidly  increasing  in  value,  and 
at  the  time  he  resigned  he  also  owned  three 
lumber  yards,  located  in  Shirley,  McLean 
and  Bloomington.  He  also  located  the 
Shirley  and  McLean  stations  on  the  Alton 
line,  and  in  that  vicinity  owns  considerable 


I04 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


land.      He  has  prospered  in  his  lumber  and 
real  estate    business,    his    sound    judgment 
enabling  him  to  make  judicious  investments 
which  have  brought  him  excellent  financial 
returns.     At  one  time  he  owned  the  ground 
upon  which  the  new  Coliseum  now  stands. 
After  a  time   he  largely  sold  his  property 
outside  the  city  and  invested  his  capital  in 
various  enterprises  here.      In  1869  he  pur- 
chased the  street  car  line,  extending  from 
Grove  street  to  Normal,  and  conducted  un- 
der the  name  of  the  Bloomington  &  Normal 
Horse  Railway  Company.    He  extended  the 
line  to  the  railroad  depot,  built  the  Chest- 
nut  street    branch,  the    West   Washington 
street  branch  to  the  Union  depot,  the  East 
Front    street    branch    crossing   the    Illinois 
Central   Railroad   at  Towanda  avenue,  and 
had  the  franchise  to  build   to   Miller  street 
and  the  ties  and  iron  to  be  used  in  the  con- 
struction thereof,  when  he  sold  the  entire 
line  to  John  Graham,  having  in  the  mean- 
time increased  the  length  of  the  line   from 
two  and  a  half  to  nearly  nine  miles. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Moore  continued  to 
be  one  of  the  most  extensive  real  estate 
dealers  in  the  city.  In  the  days  of  state 
banks  he  was  president  of  the  Bank  of 
Bloomington,  which  was  started  with  fifty 
thousand  dollars  in  bonds  of  the  state  of 
Illinios.  He  was  one  of  the  incorporators 
and  the  first  president,  but  later  sold  his  in- 
terest to  Isaac  Funk,  and  the  bank  is  still 
conducted  under  the  name  of  the  First  Na- 
tional. In  politics  he  has  always  been  a 
Republican,  but  has  had  neither  time  nor 
inclination  for  public  office. 

In  May,  1848,  Mr.  Moore  married  Miss 
Nancy  B.  Washburne,  of  Plymouth,  Mass- 
achusetts, a  direct  descendant  of  Governor 
Bradford,  who  came  over  in  the  Mayflower, 
and  a  daughter  of  John  Washburne.     For 


fifty  years  they  have  traveled  life's  journey 
together  and  in  1898  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding.   They  had  two  children.   Thomas, 
who  was  born  in  1856,  was  burned  in  the 
Chattanooga    Hotel,   in  1888;  and  Mary  is 
now  the  wife  of    Edward    E.    Maxwell,   of 
Chicago,  by  whom  she  has  one  child,  Au- 
gustus Moore.     Mr.  Maxwell  is  manager  of 
the  large  wall  paper  establishment  of  S.  A. 
Maxwell  &  Company.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moore 
have  one  of  the  most  pleasant  homes  in  the 
city.      It   is  situated  on  North  Main  street 
and   is   surrounded   by  a  large  lawn  of  two 
and  a  half  acres.     The  name  of  Mr.  Moore 
is  inseparably  connected  with  the  develop- 
ment of  Bloomington  and  this  section  of  the 
state.      His  business  interests  have  not  only 
been   of  individual  benefit    but    have    pro- 
moted the   general    prosperity.      Years   of 
ceaseless    activity   in  the    industrial   world 
have  brought  him   wealth,  and   now  in  his 
declining  days  he  is  enjoying  the  well-earned 
fruits  of  his  former  toil. 


JOHN  B.  LENNON.— There  are  in  eVery 
community  men  of  great  force  of  char- 
acter and  exceptional  ability  who,  by  reason 
of  their  capacity  for  leadership,  become 
recognized  as  foremost  citizens,  and  bear  a 
most  important  part  in  the  development 
and  progress  of  their  own  locality  or  the 
state  and  nation.  Such  a  man  is  Mr.  Len- 
non,  the  well-known  secretary  of  the  Jour- 
neymen Tailors'  Union  of  America  and  the 
treasurer  of  the  American  Federation  of 
Labor. 

Mr.  Lennon  was  born  in  White  Oak 
Springs,  Lafayette  county,  Wisconsin,  Oc- 
tober 12,  1849,  a  son  of  John  Alexander 
and  Elizabeth  Fletcher  (Brown)  Lennon. 
The  ancestral  home  of  the  Lennon  family 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


105 


was  near  Manchester,  England,  and  there 
our  subject's  grandfather,  James  Lennon,  a 
machine  woodworker,  spent  his  entire  life. 
The  father  was  born  at  Manchester,  Octo- 
ber 30,  1 8 17,  and  learned  the  tailor's  trade 
as  an  apprentice  in  London.  At  the  age  of 
nineteen  he  came  to  the  United  States,  and 
after  spending  a  year  in  New  York  City, 
went  to  Buffalo,  remaining  there  a  short 
time.  He  then  came  to  Illinois,  stopping  at 
Chicago  in  1839  when  the  western  metrop- 
olis was  a  small  hamlet  on  a  wet  prairie,  and 
in  1840  he  located  in  Warsaw,  this  state, 
though  he  worked  at  his  trade  in  Keokuk, 
Iowa,  much  of  the  time.  In  Warsaw  he  was 
married,  in  September,  1844,  and  continued 
to  work  as  a  journeyman  in  that  locality 
until  1845,  when  he  went  to  the  lead  mines 
of  Wisconsin.  He  was  engaged  in  lead 
mining  there  until  185 1,  in  which  year  he 
removed  to  Hannibal,  Missouri,  making  his 
home  there  until  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Civil  war.  Being  a  strong  abolitionist  and 
Union  man,  he  enlisted  in  Company  I, 
Third  Missouri  Cavalry,  which  was  assigned 
to  the  Army  of  the  West.  He  participated 
in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  and  in  the  Arkan- 
sas and  Red  river  expeditions,  and  when 
mustered  out  at  the  end  of  the  war  was 
serving  as  iirst  major  of  his  regiment.  He 
was  in  active  service  during  the  entire  time 
with  the  exception  of  about  thirty  days 
when  suffering  from  a  wound.  Returning 
to  Hannibal,  Missouri,  he  engaged  in  mer- 
chant tailoring  at  that  place  until  1870, 
when  he  removed  to  Denver,  Colorado,  and 
continued  the  same  business  there.  He 
took  great  interest  in  the  State  Soldiers' 
Home  in  that  state,  was  the  prime  mover 
in  building  it,  and  when  it  was  completed, 
in  recognition  of  his  effective  work  he  was 
appointed  its  first  commander  by  the  gov- 


ernor. He  resigned  the  position  at  the  end 
of  four  years  on  account  of  advancing  age, 
but  he  still  continued  to  do  merchant  tailor- 
ing, having  the  leading  business  in  his  line 
in  Denver.  He  was  one  of  its  best  known 
citizens  and  one  of  the  most  prominent  old 
soldiers  in  the  state.  He  served  as  com- 
mander of  the  State  Post  and  chairman  of 
the  relief  work  in  Denver  for  twenty  years, 
was  an  active  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity for  fifty-three  years,  and  was  an 
active  and  influential  member  of  the  Re- 
publican party.  He  died  in  September, 
1897,  honored  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him.  He  left  four  children,  namely: 
Mary  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Theodore  Hutch- 
inson, of  Colorado;  John  B.,  our  subject; 
Minnie,  wife  of  Frank  Van  Horn,  of  Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania;  and  Kate,  wife  of 
Dr.  W.  H.  Sharpley,  of  Denver.  The  mother 
is  also  a  resident  of  Denver,  and  is  a  faith- 
ful member  of  the  Congregational  church, 
both  parents  having  united  with  that  de- 
nomination about  1848,  and  the  father 
served  as  deacon  from  1872  until  his  death. 
Mrs.  Lennon  was  born  February  4,  1823, 
and  is  the  youngest  child  of  her  father 
by  his  second  wife.  She  is  one  of  only 
about  twelve  daughters  of  Revolutionary 
soldiers  now  living,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 
Her  father.  Lieutenant  Samuel  Brown, 
fought  at  the  battles  of  Bunker  Hill,  Lex- 
ington and  Quebec,  and  was  taken  prisoner 
at  the  last  named  place.  After  his  ex- 
change he  served  on  the  staff  of  General 
Lafayette.  The  Brown  family  was  founded 
in  Massachusetts  by  Nicholas  Brown  about 
1631,  and  there  Lieutenant  Brown  made 
his  home  until  1794.  when  he  emigrated  to 
Ohio,  becoming  one  of  the  very  early  pio- 
neers of  St.    Clairsville,    Belmont  county, 


io6 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


where  he  died  in  1828.      Mrs.  Lennon  was 
born  there. 

John  B.  Lennon  was  but  two  years  old 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Hannibal,  Missouri,  and  as  that 
was  a  slave  state  at  that  time  public  schools 
were  very  few  and  his  education  was  there- 
fore limited.  Before  he  was  eleven  years 
of  age  he  began  to  learn  the  tailor's  trade, 
working  five  or  six  months  until  his  father 
entered  the  army.  During  the  war  the 
family  removed  to  the  little  town  of  Payson, 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  where  he  attended 
school  during  the  winter  and  assisted  in  the 
farm  work  through  the  summer  season. 
After  the  return  of  the  father,  the  family 
again  went  to  Hannibal,  where  our  subject 
worked  at  his  trade  and  attended  school 
occasionally  until  eighteen  years  of  age. 
He  then  entered  a  commercial  college  at 
Oberlin,  Ohio,  where  he  pursued  his  studies 
for  seven  months,  which  ended  his  school 
days. 

Subsequently  Mr.  Lennon  worked  at  his 
trade  in  Hannibal  and  Denver,  and  on  the 
5th  of  April,  1871,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Juna  J.  Allen,  a  daughter 
of  Frederick  C.  Allen,  of  the  former  city. 
They  now  have  one  son,  John  Frederick. 
For  three  years  they  made  their  home  in 
Denver,  and  then  removed  to  Evanston, 
Wyoming,  where  Mr.  Lennon  engaged  in 
merchant  tailoring  for  a  time.  Returning 
to  Denver,  he  worked  as  a  journeyman  in 
that  city,  and  in  February,  1871,  he  joined 
the  Tailors  Union  on  its  organization  in 
that  city,  since  which  time  he  has  been  one 
of  its  most  active  and  prominent  workers. 
In  the  fall  of  1883  the  present  International 
Tailors  Union  was  organized  by  five  local 
unions,  all  of  which  were  in  eastern  cities, 
and  the  Denver  union  affiliated  with  them 


in  a  convention  held  in  Chicago  in  1884, 
our  subject  serving  as  a  delegate.  He  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  general  executive 
board,  and  when  a  delegate  to  the  conven- 
tion held  in  Baltimore  in  1885,  he  was  re- 
elected to  that  position.  In  1886  at  the 
convention  held  in  New  York  City,  it  was 
decided  to  elect  a  general  secretary  who 
should  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  service 
of  the  organization  and  be  paid  a  salary, 
and  Mr.  Lennon  was  chosen  for  that  respon- 
sible position,  which  he  has  since  so  credit- 
ably and  satisfactorily  filled,  being  re-elect- 
ed at  each  succeeding  election.  At  the 
convention  of  1886  it  was  also  decided  to 
establish  a  paper  devoted  to  the  interests 
of  the  organization  of  the  craft,  the  general 
secretary  to  be  editor  and  manager,  and  in 
October  of  that  year  the  paper  made  its 
first  appearance,  since  which  time  it  has 
been  issued  monthly  and  its  circulation  now 
reaches  twenty  thousand,  it  being  taken  in 
all  the  principal  cities  and  towns  in  the 
United  States  and  Canada. 

When  Mr.  Lennon  assumed  the  secre- 
taryship of  the  Journeyman  Tailors'  Union 
of  America  it  consisted  of  only  fourteen 
local  branches  with  twenty-four  hundred 
members,  but  at  present  it  represents  two 
hundred  and  seventy-five  local  branches  and 
sixteen  thousand  and  five  hundred  members, 
which  shows  the  large  amount  of  work  that 
has  been  done.  The  income  of  the  organi- 
zation the  first  year  he  was  secretary 
amounted  to  only  three  thousand  dollars, 
but  that  of  the  year  ending  July  i,  1898,  was 
one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand.  The 
tailors'  organization,  as  a  part  of  the  great 
American  labor  movement,  joined  what  is 
known  as  the  American  Federation  of  Labor, 
a  federation  of  all  the  national  and  interna- 
tional trade  unions  of  North  America,  and  to 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


107 


all  the  annual  conventions  of  that  body  Mr. 
Lennon  has  been  a  delegate,  representing 
the  tailors'  organization  since  1 887.  In  1 888, 
he  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  federation 
and  a  member  of  the  executive  council,  and 
has  been  annually  re-elected  to  the  same 
positions. 

When  elected  general  secretary  of  the 
Tailors'  Union,  Mr.  Lennon  moved  from 
Denver  to  New  York  City,  which  remained 
headquarters  and  his  residence  until  January 
I,  1895,  when  the  headquarters  were 
changed  to  Bloomington,  Illinois,  and  he 
came  here  to  live.  He  has  always  taken  an 
active  part  not  only  in  the  labor  movements 
but  in  social  reforms  of  all  kinds  that  would 
benefit  the  people.  In  his  capacity  of  gen- 
eral secretary  of  the  Tailors'  Union,  he  has 
traveled  through  every  state  of  the  Union 
and  the  province  of  Canada,  and  has  visited 
nearly  all  cities  of  note  in  North  America. 
His  services  have  been  of  inestimable  value 
to  the  labor  unions  all  over  the  country,  and 
he  is  held  in  high  regard  by  all  who  have 
the  pleasure  of  his  acquaintance.  He  is  a 
member  of  Bloomington  Lodge,  No.  43,  F. 
&  A.  M.,  of  which  he  is  now  senior  warden, 
and  belongs  to  the  Chapter  and  Council,  and 
is  also  a  member  of  DeMolay  Commandery. 
K.  T. 


CAPTAIN  HENRY  AUGUSTINE  is  a 
representative  and  enterprising  citizen 
of  Normal,  and  one  of  the  most  prominent 
and  practical  nursery  men  of  the  state.  He 
was  born  in  Lancaster,  Lancaster  county, 
Pennsylvania,  July  25,  1840,  and  is  a  son 
of  John  A.  and  Anna  (Miller)  Augustine, 
who  were  natives  of  Wittenberg,  Germany, 
and  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  respectively. 
The  former  was  an  agriculturist,  and  came 


to  this  country  when  a  boy.  He  came  to 
Canton,  Illinois,  in  1857,  where  his  death 
occurred  eleven  years  later.  His  family 
consisted  of  twelve  children,  eight  of  whom 
are  living.  Henry,  the  subject  of  this  review, 
was  the  eighth  child  and  was  reared  and 
educated  in  the  town  of  his  birth.  He  came 
to  Illinois  with  his  parents  in  1857,  where 
he  followed  his  chosen  vocation,  agriculture. 
He  served  throughout  the  Civil  war,  enlist- 
ing in  Company  A,  Fifty-fifth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  on  the  3d  of  August,  1861, 
being  enrolled  as  a  sergeant.  His  courage 
in  the  face  of  danger,  and  his  promptness  in 
the  discharge  of  duty,  soon  brought  him  to 
the  notice  of  his  superior  officers,  and  on 
August  I,  of  the  following  year,  he  was  pro- 
moted to  the  second  lieutenancy,  and  two 
months  later  to  the  first  lieutenancy.  On 
the  27th  of  June,  1 864,  he  was  commissioned 
captain,  and  the  same  year  organized  Com- 
pany I,  Fifty-first  Illinois  Volunteer  Infan- 
try, serving  his  country  until  November, 
1865,  when  he  was  mustered  out  of  service. 
His  army  life  has  been  full  of  events,  start- 
ling and  tragic,  and  to  give  a  minute  ac- 
count to  them  would  take  more  space  than 
is  allotted  to  us  in  this  volume.  Suffice  it 
is  to  say  that  he  participated  in  thirty-two 
hard-fought  and  well-contested  battles,  and 
was  one  hundred  ninety-six  days  under  fire 
of  the  enemy.  Shiloh  was  one  of  the  sev- 
eral contests  through  which  he  passed,  his 
regiment  losing  fifty-one  per  cent  of  the 
men  engaged  in  the  battle.  His  regiment 
marched  eleven  thousand,  nine  hundred  six- 
ty-five miles,  during  the  service,  losing  one 
hundred  eight  men,  and  three  hundred  thir- 
ty-three wounded  in  battle.  Two  of  his 
brothers  were  killed  during  the  war,  both  of 
whom  he  buried  on  the  field  of  battle.  One 
brother,  Michael,  was  attached  to  the  One 


io8 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Hundred  Third  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
and  was  killed  during  the  battle  of  Mission- 
ary Ridge,  and  the  other,  J.  M.,  was  lieu- 
tenant-colonel of  the  Fifty-fifth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  of  which  our  Henry  was  a 
member. 

Upon  his  discharge  from  the  service,  our 
subject  was  engaged  in  the  drug  business 
until  1870,  when  failing  health  compelled 
him  to  abandon  it  for  a  vocation  which 
brought  him  more  in  contact  with  nature  in 
the  primitive  state.  He  removed  to  Pon- 
tiac,  Livingston  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  the  farming  and  nursery 
business  for  six  years,  and  at  the  end  of  that 
time  came  to  Normal,  giving  his  entire 
time  and  attention  to  the  nursery  and  fruit 
business.  Under  the  direction  of  his  well- 
disciplined  mind,  and  guided  by  the  wisdom 
that  comes  from  experience,  Mr.  Augustine 
has  built  up  a  very  extensive  and  flourish- 
ing business,  his  shipments  reaching  France, 
Germany,  England,  Scotland,  New  Zealand 
and  South  America.  He  handles  all  kinds 
of  fruits,  flowers  and  ornamental  trees,  and 
has  introduced  that  fine  specimen  of  the 
pear  called  the  Sudduth,  which  is  attract- 
ing the  attention  of  fruit-growers  and  fan- 
ciers. He  is  a  man  of  large  experience  in 
horticulture,  whose  services  and  council  are 
sought  all  over  the  state.  He  was  superin- 
tendent of  the  fruit  exhibit  for  the  state  of 
Illinois,  at  the  Columbian  Exposition,  in 
1892,  and  was  president  of  the  National 
Nurserymen's  Society,  also  president  of  the 
State  Horticulture  Society.  His  services 
are  in  constant  demand  at  all  the  meetings 
of  the  Farmers'  Institutes,  and  also  at  the 
horticultural  societies  as  a  lecturer. 

In  February,  1870,  our  subject  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maggie  E.  Gapen, 
who  has  given  him  one  child,  Archie,  a  bright 


young  man,  who  assists  his  father  to  the 
management  of  his  extensive  business.  Mr. 
Augustine  is  a  man  of  much  benevolence,  and 
is  much  interested  in  a  number  of  charitable 
institutions.  He  has  been  identified  with  the 
Illinois  Children's  Home  and  Aid  Society  for 
sixteen  years,  and  is  now  one  of  its  directors. 
He  has  been  president  of  the  State  Sunday 
School  Association  for  some  time.  He  is  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  and  has  been  its  Sunday  School 
superintendent  for  sixteen  years.  He  is  an 
honored  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  and  has  several  times  held  re- 
sponsible offices.  Mr.  Augustine  possesses 
a  cordial  and  courteous  manner,  and  is  one 
of  the  most  popular  men  of  Normal  with  the 
young  people,  who  has  the  full  confidence  of 
his  fellow-citizens,  the  result  of  an  honor- 
able and  upright  career. 


BYRON  R.  BURKE,  a  prominent  rep- 
resentative of  the  agricultural  interests 
of  McLean  county,  Illinois,  now  owns  and 
operates  a  fine  farm  of  three  hundred  acres 
in  Old  Town  township,  upon  which  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  has  been  spent.  He 
is  a  native,  however,  of  New  York,  born  in 
Watertown,  Jefferson  county,  January  5, 
1857,  and  is  a  son  of  Samuel  W.  and  Hulda 
E.  (Burke)  Burke,  who,  although  bearing 
the  same  name,  were  not  related  prior  to 
their  marriage.  The  father  was  born  near 
Alexander  Bay,  New  York,  where  he  was 
reared  in  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  boys 
of  his  day,  remaining  at  home  until  he  at- 
tained his  majority.  He  was  one  of  the 
"forty-niners"  who  went  to  California  in 
search  of  gold,  and  while  on  the  Pacific 
slope  he  met  with  fair  success.  With  his 
two  partners,    he   built  the  first   house   in 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


109 


Placerville,  California,  and  after  digging 
gold  for  about  a  year,  they  opened  a  gen- 
eral store  at  that  place,  which  they  conduct- 
ed with  remarkable  success  from  1851  until 
1856.  Having  accumulated  considerable 
capital,  Mr.  Burke  returned  to  Watertown, 
New  York,  in  1856,  and  continued  to  make 
his  home  there  for  some  time.  There  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Hulda  E. 
Burke,  who  was  born  in  Indiana,  but  as  her 
parents  died  during  her  childhood,  she  was 
reared  by  her  grandparents  in  Watertown, 
New  York.  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Burke 
purchased  a  farm  in  his  native  state  and  en- 
gaged in  agricultural  pursuits  there  until 
the  spring  of  1866,  when  he  removed  to 
McLean  county,  Illinois.  He  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  on  section  3,  Old  Town  town- 
ship, which  he  transformed  into  a  good 
farm,  and  in  connection  with  agricultural 
pursuits  also  engaged  in  business  as  a  cap- 
italist. Selling  his  farm,  he  finally  removed 
to  Bloomington,  but  a  few  years  later 
bought  the  property  now  owned  by  our  sub- 
ject, and  here  engaged  in  general  farming 
and  stock  raising  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred October  30,  1884.  He  left  a  widow 
and  six  children,  of  whom  our  subject  is 
the  oldest,  the  others  being  May,  now  Mrs. 
J.  D.  Hagan,  of  Mansville,  N.  Y. ;  Charles, 
a  physician  of  Atlanta,  Illinois;  Sada,  wife 
of  C.  W.  Dooley,  of  Bloomington;  Reed,  a 
farmer  of  Mexico,  Missouri;  and  Clara,  wife 
of  Frank  Parritt,  a  jeweler,  of  Bloomington. 
The  mother  is  still  living,  and  though  she 
makes  her  home  in  Bloomington,  she  spends 
considerable  time  in  travel. 

Byron  R.  Burke  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  McLean  county  and  of 
Bloomington,  and  remained  upon  the  home 
farm  with  his  father  until  his  marriage, 
which   was   celebrated  January  28,    1880, 


Miss  Blanche  Bovard,  a  native  of  Ohio,  be- 
coming his  wife.  Her  parents  died  when 
she  was  quite  young,  and  she  lived  with 
her  brothers  in  this  county  prior  to  her 
marriage.  The  children  born  of  this  union 
are  Mabel,  Ray,  Earle,  Edna,  Hulda  and 
Clara. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Burke  rented 
the  home  farm  until  his  father's  death, 
when  he  purchased  the  interest  of  the  other 
heirs,  and  has  continued  to  reside  thereon  up 
to  the  present  time.  He  is  a  most  thorough 
and  skillful  farmer,  and  has  met  with  excel- 
lent success  in  his  life  work.  In  connection 
with  general  farming  he  devotes  considera- 
ble attention  to  the  feeding  of  stock,  and 
this  branch  of  his  business  has  also  proved 
quite  profitable.  Though  he  usually  sup- 
ports the  Democratic  party  by  his  ballot,  he 
is  somewhat  independent  in  politics,  and  as 
a  friend  of  our  public  school  system  he  has 
most  efificiently  served  as  school  director  in 
his  district  for  twelve  years. 


ADDISON  LEROY  BARKER,  whose 
home  is  at  908  West  Washington  street, 
Bloomington,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  having 
been  born  in  New  Haven,  Hanover  county, 
on  the  i8th  of  April,  1852,  and  is  a  son  of 
Reuben  and  Julia  Ann  (Brubaker)  Barker. 
The  former  was  a  real  estate  dealer  of  San- 
dusky, Ohio,  and  was  probably  a  native  of 
that  city.  Little  is  known  of  him,  how- 
ever, as  both  he  and  his  wife  died  of  cholera 
when  our  subject  was  an  infant  of  two 
years.  After  the  death  of  his  parents,  our 
subject  lived  with  Andrew  Brubaker,  an 
uncle,  and  a  farmer  of  New  Haven,  Ohio, 
until  the  opening  of  the  Civil  war.  Though 
but  fourteen  years  of  age,  he  went  out  with 
the  Thirty-second  Ohio  Infantry,  as  drum- 


tlO 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


mer  boy,  but  was  transferred  and  sent 
home,  as  he  was  not  of  age.  He  then 
went  out  with  the  regiment  of  Colonel 
Wilson,  of  Mansfield,  Ohio,  remaining  with 
them  two  years  before  he  was  permitted  to 
enlist  in  the  regular  service,  and  at  the 
expiration  of  that  time  he  enlisted  with  the 
Third  Ohio  Cavalry.  During  the  two  years 
he  was  with  General  Wilson,  he  was  in  all 
the  heaviest  battles  with  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  Shiloh,  etc.  He  was  with  the 
Third  Ohio  Cavalry  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  and  although  an  enlisted  man  for  but 
three  years,  yet  he  was  at  the  front  through- 
out the  entire  war. 

After  being  mustered  out  of  the  service, 
at  Columbus,  in  1865,  our  subject  went  to 
Joliet,  where  he  was,  for  a  few  weeks,  a 
fireman  on  a  cut-off  of  the  Michigan  Central 
railroad.  He  was  ne.xt  employed  as  fireman 
on  the  Chicago  &  Alton  railroad  for  three 
years,  and  was  then  made  switch  engineer, 
and  extra  runner  from  Joliet  to  Blooming- 
ton  and  Chicago,  running  a  freight  engine 
for  some  years.  In  1884  Mr.  Barker  re- 
moved to  Bloomington  and  has  run  passen- 
ger engines  most  of  the  time  since.  In 
recent  years  he  has  run  limited  trains 
entirely,  and  principally  between  Bloom- 
ington and  St.  Louis.  He  has  been  over 
the  road  several  thousand  times,  and  has 
never  yet  been  laid  off  for  a  day,  which  is  a 
very  remarkable  record.  During  all  his 
experience  in  railroading  Mr.  Baker  has 
met  with  but  two  bad  accidents.  At  one 
time,  while  going  at  the  rate  of  fifty  miles 
an  hour  with  a  special  train,  a  pay  car,  he 
collided  with  a  work  train,  which  was  stand- 
ing in  a  cut,  and  only  saved  himself  by 
leaping  from  the  cab.  He  was  exonerated 
from  blame,  as  he  had  previously  received 
instructions  that  the  road  was  clear.     An- 


other time,  near  Chicago,  the  engine  tipped 
over,  our  subject  sustaining  very  severe 
injuries.  When  Mr.  Barker  first  entered 
railroad  life  the  largest  engines  then  in  use 
weighed  from  thirty  to  forty  tons,  and  the 
time  required  to  run  from  Bloomington  to 
St.  Louis  was  six  hours.  Now  the  run  is 
made  in  three  hours  and  forty  minutes,  and 
engines  weighing  from  eighty  to  ninety  tons 
are  used  entirely.  He  has  been  under  a 
large  number  of  men  and  administrators  of 
the  road,  from  Mr.  Jackman,  master  me- 
chanic, down,  and  with  one  exception  is  the 
oldest  employe  of  the  road,  having  served 
honorably  and  faithfully  for  over  thirty-five 
years. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  Evergreen 
City  Lodge,  No.  365,  I.  O.  O.  P.,  and  is 
also  a  member  of  the  organization,  Knights 
of  Pythias,  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  he  is 
continually  on  the  road,  has  not  held  office. 
On  the  8th  of  December,  1S92,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Amanda  Gaffron, 
a  daughter  of  Phillip  Williams,  who  for 
many  years  was  proprietor  of  a  grocery  on 
Market  street.  Mr.  Barker  built  his  resi- 
dence on  Washington  street,  in  1894.  It  is 
a  refined  and  cheerful  home,  containing  all 
the  modern  improvements  and  conveniences, 
and  its  hospitable  doors  are  always  open  to 
the  many  friends  and  acquaintances  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Barker. 


REV.  GEORGE  EDWIN  SCRIMGER, 
D.  D.  Only  the  history  of  the  good 
and  great  comes  down  to  us  through  the 
ages.  The  true  religion  has  been  the  strong- 
est influence  known  to  man  through  all 
time,  while  the  many  false  doctrines  that 
have  sprung  up  have  flourished  only  for  a 
day  and  then  vanished.      More  potent  at  the 


GEORGE  EDWIN   SCRIMGER,  D.   D. 


P^'BUC  UBRAKY 

1^,,  J^^TOR.  LENOX 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


"3 


present  than  at  any  period  in  the  world's 
history  are  the  work  and  influence  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  among  those  who  are  devoting 
their  lives  to  its  inculcation  among  men  is 
Dr.  Scrimger,  the  honored  pastor  of  the 
First  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Bloom- 
ington.  He  is  one  of  the  leading  ministers 
of  that  denomination  in  Illinois,  and  his  life 
is  a  source  of  inspiration  and  encouragement 
to  all  who  know  him. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  a  log  cabin, 
near  Columbus,  Ohio,  November  29,  1849, 
a  son  of  Thomas  E.  and  Margaret  R.  (Mc- 
Cracken)  Scrimger.  The  father  was  born 
in  Virginia,  where  the  family  made  their 
home  for  many  years  and  were  slave  hold- 
ers, but  he  was  a  strong  Abolitionist.  The 
family  was  founded  in  this  country  by  two 
brothers,  natives  of  Scotland,  one  of  whom 
settled  in  Canada,  the  other  in  Virginia. 
They  had  espoused  the  cause  of  the  pre- 
tender and  for  that  offense  lost  all  their 
property  and  were  practically  banished  from 
their  native  land.  The  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  James  Scrimger,  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolutionary  war.  The  father  is  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  and  in  the  midst  of 
the  forests  of  Ohio  cleared  and  improved  a 
farm.  About  1853  he  brought  his  family 
to  Lexington,  McLean  county,  Illinois,  and 
there  developed  a  good  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  on  which  he  still  lives  at  the 
age  of  eighty-one  years,  his  birth  having 
occurred  July  2,  1818.  He  has  been  quite 
a  prominent  man  in  his  community,  has 
served  as  supervisor  and  school  director,  and 
is  held  in  high  regard  by  all  who  know  him. 
An  earnest,  consistent  Christian,  he  has 
long  been  an  active  worker  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  has  served  as  class  leader, 
steward  and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  his  home  has  always  been  the 

6 


stopping  place  of  the  ministers.  There  have 
been  about  five  or  six  Methodist  Episcopal 
ministers  reared  in  that  locality.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  who  was  also  a  faith- 
ful member  of  that  denomination,  was  born 
at  Hilliards,  Franklin  county,  Ohio,  in  Jan- 
uary I,  1 8 17,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Henry 
McCracken,  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  who 
came  to  Lexington,  Illinois,  with  the  Scrim- 
ger family,  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation. 
She  died  January  28,  1862,  at  the  age  of 
forty-five  years. 

Reared  on  the  home  farm  in  this  county. 
Dr.  Scrimger  attended  the  public  schools  of 
Selma,  and  for  five  years  was  a  student  in 
WfeSleyan  University,  where  he  was  grad- 
uated with,  the  degree  of  A.  B.,  in  June, 
•  .i,8?4,»'aHd1:Wb  years  later  received  the  de- 
gree of  A.  M.  Standing  high  in  his  class, 
he  had  the  honor  of  being  appointed  by  the 
faculty  as  a  junior  contestant  and  his  essay 
received  the  prize.  After  his  graduation  he 
taught  in  the  University  and  at  the  same 
time  supplied  the  Wapella  circuit  as  a  local 
preacher.  In  the  fall  of  1875,  he  joined 
the  conference  and  began  a  four  years'  course 
of  reading.  His  first  appointment  was  at 
Downs,  McLean  county,  where  he  remained 
two  years,  being  their  first  stationed  pastor, 
and  the  congregation  rapidly  grew  under  his 
leadership.  He  was  ordained  a  deacon  in 
1877  and  took  supernumerary  relation.  He 
then  pursued  a  three  years'  course  at  the 
Drew  Theological  Seminary  at  Madison, 
New  Jersey,  and  supported  himself  by  sup- 
plying a  small  church  near  by.  During  his 
last  summer  there  he  supplied  the  pulpit  of 
the  Franklin  Square  Independent  Methodist 
church,  and  on  the  death  of  the  regular 
minister  at  that  time,  he  was  called  to  the 
pastorate,  but  declined  to  accept,  preferring 
to    keep    in    the    regular   work.     By  Drew 


114 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Seminary  he  was  granted  the  degree  of  B. 
D.  In  the  fall  of  1880  he  took  charge  of  a 
church  at  Havana,  lUinois,  where  he  re- 
mained for  two  years,  and  then  accepted 
the  pastorate  of  the  Second  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  of  Springfield  and  during  his 
three  years  there  met  with  excellent  success 
in  building  up  the  membership. 

On  the  3d  of  February,  1885,  Dr.  Scrim- 
ger  married  Miss  Emma  Tracy,  of  New  Or- 
leans, a  distant  relative  of  ex-Secretary 
Tracy.  Her  father,  Thomas  G.  Tracy,  was 
a  distinguished  literary  man  of  New  Orleans 
and  at  one 'time  the  editor  of  the  Republic- 
an; being  a  northern  man  by  birth,  but  go- 
ing south  when  young,  he  became  identified 
with  the  growth  of  the  Crescent  City.  He 
was  sent  South  by  the  New  York  Tribune 
during  the  civil  war  as  a  war  correspondent. 
His  people  were  pioneers  of  New  York  state. 
He  died  while  on  a  visit  to  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  Scrimger,  in  Danville,  February  11, 
1893.  The  children  born  to  the  Doctor  and 
his  wife  are  Ruth,  Edwin  Tracy,  Paul  and 
Margaret. 

In  1885,  Dr.  Scrimger  took  charge  of 
Trinity  church,  Quincy,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1887  was  appointed  to  Grace  church,  Deca- 
tur, where  he  remained  for  four  years,  which 
period  marked  an  important  epoch  in  the 
growth  of  the  church,  both  spiritually  and 
financially.  The  church  property  was  im- 
proved by  steam  heat  and  a  pipe  organ. 
In  1 891  he  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of 
the  Danville  district,  and  during  his  six  years 
in  that  position  his  time  was  fully  occupied 
as  he  had  thirty-four  charges  under  his  di- 
rection. It  was  at  this  time,  in  1892,  that 
Illinois  Wesleyan  University  conferred  upon 
him  the  degree  of  D.  D.  In  the  fall  of 
1897  he  was  appointed  to  his  present  charge 
— the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 


Bloomington — and  during  the  past  year 
twelve  thousand  dollars  were  raised  for  the 
repair  fund,  and  over  one  hundred  added  to 
the  church,  which  now  has  a  membership 
of  over  twelve  hundred — the  largest  in  the 
Illinois  conference.  Dr.  Scrimger's  work 
here  is  arduous  as  he  has  no  assistant  to  help 
him.  He  often  conducts  from  three  to  four 
funeral  sermons  a  week,  performs  a  large 
number  of  wedding  ceremonies  and  has 
many  calls  to  make.  He  is  a  man  of  thought- 
ful, earnest  purpose,  of  strong  intellectual 
endowments,  of  broad  charity  and  kindly 
nature,  and  by  all  denominations  as  well  as 
his  own  people,  is  held  in  the  highest  regard. 
At  the  last  election  of  the  general  conference 
he  was  made  first  reserve  delegate.  Fra- 
ternally, he  is  a  member  of  the  blue  lodge, 
chapter  and  council  of  the  Masonic  order, 
at  Havana,  and  the  commandery  at  Danville. 


PROFESSOR  DELMAR  DUANE  DAR- 
RAH,  director  of  the  Wesleyan  School 
of  Oratory,  and  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Bloomington,  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in 
Tolono,  Champaign  county,  July  15,  1868, 
and  is  a  son  of  Dr.  Alexander  T.  and  Eliza- 
beth H.  (Fugate)  Darrah,  the  former  a  native 
of  Ohio,  the  latter  of  Pike  county,  Illinois. 
The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject 
was  born  in  Virginia.  During  his  early  life 
the  father  read  medicine  and  graduated 
from  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  after 
which  he  located  in  Tolono  and  engaged 
in  practice  thereuntil  1883.  He  then  came 
to  Bloomington,  and  remained  one  of  the 
prominent  and  successful  physicians  of  this 
place  until  called  from  this  life  September 
4,  1889.  He  was  also  one  of  its  leading 
and  influential  citizens  and  took  an  active 
and  prominent  part   in  public  affairs.      He 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


115 


served  as  supervisor  and  was  once  candidate 
for  mayor.  The  mother  died  in  June, 
1884,  leaving  three  children:  Delmar  D., 
our  subject;  Nellie,  now  the  wife  of  A.  G. 
Lain,  of  Shirley;  and  Ada  M. 

Professor  Darrah  began  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  Tolono,  and  after  com- 
ing to  Bloomington  entered  the  Wesleyan 
University,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1890 
with  the  degree  of  Ph.  B.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Phi  Delta  Theta  society.  After 
his  graduation  he  took  a  three-years'  course 
in  elocution,  oratory  and  dramatic  art  under 
private  teachers  in  Chicago  and  the  east, 
and  on  his  return  to  Bloomington  estab- 
lished a  school  of  oratory  which  is  co-oper- 
ative with  the  University,  except  that  the 
board  of  trustees  exercise  supervision  over 
all  of  the  departments.  The  school  now 
has  an  enrollment  of  from  fifty  to  seventy- 
five  pupils  each  year,  and  he  is  assisted  in 
his  labors  by  an  able  corps  of  instructors. 
A  thorough  and  systematic  course  of  in- 
struction has  been  established,  and  the  large 
attendance  which  the  school  has  is  sufficient 
evidence  of  the  superiority  of  the  work  ac- 
complished. It  is  the  aim  of  the  school  to 
create  expressive  readers  and  efficient  teach- 
ers and  the  studies  pursued  are  physical  cult- 
ure, Delsarte  and  the  principles  of  gesture, 
elocution,  voice  culture,  study  of  emotion, 
rhetoric,  English  literature,  etc.  Professor 
Darrah  ranks  among  the  best  readers  and 
interpreters  in  the  state,  and  has  met  with 
marked  success  in  the  conduct  of  his  school. 

On  June  21,  1898,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Isabel  Wetzell,  of 
Bloomington,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Wet- 
zell. They  are  both  members  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  church,  and  the  Professor  is  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
ity.      He  is  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Illi- 


nois Free  Mason,  which  was  established  by 
Owen  Scott  in  1885  and  purchased  by  our 
subject  in  1892,  who  finds  the  work  both 
pleasant  and  profitable.  It  is  the  represent- 
ative Masonic  paper  in  the  state  and  has  a 
large  circulation  which  is  constantly  increas- 
ing. Professor  Darrah  is  one  of  the  most 
influential  members  of  Bloomington  Lodge, 
No.  43,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  which  he  is  both 
past  and  present  master.  He  has  also  rep- 
resented the  lodge  in  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  state;  has  been  deputy  grand  lecturer  of 
the  Grand  Lodge;  district  deputy  grand 
master  for  five  years;  and  is  now  a  member 
of  the  finance  committee.  He  is  also  past 
high  priest  of  Bloomington  Chapter,  No. 
26,  R.  A.  M.;  has  been  a  representative  to 
the  grand  chapter;  and  was  one  of  the  grand 
lecturers  in  1898.  He  has  held  office  in 
Bloomington  Council;  is  past  commander  of 
DeMolay  Commandery,  and  has  been  a 
representative  to  the  grand  commandery; 
and  is  a  member  of  the  intermediate  bodies 
to  the  Peoria  Consistory. 


JAMES  L.  LOAR,  a  prominent  and  suc- 
cessful attorney  of  Bloomington,  was, 
born  in  Waynesburg,  Pennsylvania,  Janu-r 
ary  24,  1864,  and  on  the  paternal  side  is  of 
German  descent.  The  family  was  founded 
in  Virginia  about  the  time  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  and  later  one  branch  of  the 
family,  consisting  of  five  brothers,  came 
north.  John  Loar,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  April  21,  1826,  in  Waynes- 
burg, Pennsylvania,  where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood and  married  Miss  Maria  White,  a 
daughter  of  Israel  White,  who  was  also  a 
representative  of  an  old  Pennsylvania  fam- 
ily of  German  origin,  his  father  being  a  res- 


ti6 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ident  of  the  Keystone  state.  In  March, 
1868,  John  Loar  came  to  McLean  county, 
Illinois,  and  purchased  the  Walton  place, 
ten  miles  south  of  Fairbury,  and  six  miles 
and  a  half  northeast  of  Colfax,  being  at 
that  time  the  oldest  and  finest  farm  in  this 
section.  He  was  a  prominent  horseman, 
selling  more  fine  horses  than  any  other  man 
in  the  county.  He  and  his  family  have  al- 
ways been  great  lovers  of  the  noble  steed, 
and  his  horses  carried  off  most  of  the  prem- 
iums at  the  fairs  where  they  were  exhib- 
ited. He  was  a  director  of  the  Fairbury 
Fair,  and  also  of  the  Belle  Prairie  Fair  for 
twenty-two  years,  and  was  one  of  the  found- 
ers and  principal  stockholders  of  the  latter. 
He  was  also  an  officer  of  the  Livingston 
County  Mutual  Insurance  Company,  which 
was  one  of  the  earliest  corporations  of  the 
kind  established.  He  was  a  successful  and 
prosperous  farmer  and  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace  in  his  township  for  some  time. 
Two  years  prior  to  his  death  he  retired  from 
active  life  and  removed  to  Colfax. 

On  the  celebration  of  his  golden  wed- 
ding in  April,  1897,  which  was  a  notable 
event  in  the  community,  all  of  his  eight  liv- 
ing children  were  present,  and  also  fourteen 
grandchildren  and  one  great-grandchild. 
Two  more  grandchildren  were  born  before 
his  death.  The  wife  and  mother  died  June 
14,  1898,  and  he  passed  away  October  5, 
1898,  honored  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  them.  For  half  a  century  they  were 
faithful  members  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  were  among  the  early  members  of  that 
church  in  their  community.  Their  children 
were  as  follows:  Thomas  J.,  a  resident  of 
Colfax;  David  W.,  a  druggist  of  McCook, 
Nebraska;  Elizabeth  L.,  wife  of  William 
Long,  of  Manson,  Iowa;  George  F.,  a  drug- 
gist of  Lewiston,    Illinois;  Mrs.    Emma  F. 


Gaddis,  of  Beaver  City,  Nebraska;  James 
L. ,  our  subject;  Ida  B.,  wife  of  Sherman 
Williams,  a  farmer  of  Cropsey;  and  Arthur 
M.,  who  lives  on  the  old  homestead. 

James  L.  Loar  acquired  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  country  schools  near  his  boyhood 
home,  later  engaged  in  teaching  for  two 
years  in  McLean  county,  and  later  was 
principal  of  the  schools  at  Bluff  City,  Illi- 
nois. He  attended  the  literary  department 
of  the  Michigan  University  at  Ann  Arbor, 
and  later  the  law  department  of  the  same 
institution,  where  he  was  graduated  with 
the  degree  of  LL.  B.  in  June,  1887,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  supreme  court  of  Michi- 
gan. Going  to  Colby,  Thomas  county, 
Kansas,  he  opened  an  office,  and  was  not 
long  in  building  up  a  good  practice.  He 
was  elected  state's  attorney  in  1888  and 
again  in  1890  for  that  county,  and  while 
serving  in  that  office  had  charge  of  the 
prosecution  of  the  celebrated  "Bohemian 
Club  "  case  under  the  prohibition  laws  of 
Kansas.  This  case  was  tried  six  times, 
twice  in  the  justice  courts,  three  times  in 
the  district  court  and  once  in  the  supreme 
court,  resulting  in  a  victory  for  the  state. 
It  is  perhaps  needless  to  say  that  the  liquor 
interests  were  represented  by  the  ablest 
counsel  obtainable,  and  the  case  was  con- 
sidered the  most  stubbornly  contested  in 
northwestern  Kansas.  Mr.  Loar  also  prose- 
cuted one  murder  case  and  others  of  impor- 
tance during  his  term  and  also  conducted  a 
good  private  practice.  Resigning  his  posi- 
tion in  1 89 1,  he  removed  to  Ogden,  Utah, 
where  he  engaged  in  general  practice  until 
July,  1897,  meeting  with  excellent  success. 

While  a  resident  of  Utah,  Mr.  Loar  was 
twice  state  president  of  the  State  Sunday 
School  Association  and  for  five  years  superin- 
tendent of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


117 


School  in  Ogden,  which  he  made  the  larg- 
est evangelical  Sunday  school  in  the  state. 
He  was  also  twice  elected  president  of  the 
State  Epworth  League  Association,  was 
chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees  most  of  the 
time,  and  attorney  for  the  board  of  church  ex- 
tension for  five  years.  For  four  years  he  also 
represented  Bradstreet  and  other  prominent 
mercantile  agencies.  While  there  his  law 
library  was  destroyed  by  fire,  but  has  since 
built  up  another  fine  one.  He  thoroughly 
understands  the  Mormon  church,  and 
worked  hard  to  destroy  its  injurious  in- 
fluences. 

On  the  loth  of  August,  1892,  Mr.  Loar 
married  Miss  Mildred  Wood,  a  daughter  of 
Mrs.  Sarah  P.  Wood,  of  Fredonia,  Kansas. 
Her  father,  Harvey  S.  Wood,  now  deceased, 
was  a  soldier,  all  through  the  civil  war  serv- 
ing as  first  lieutenant  in  Company  E,  Six- 
teenth Ohio  Regular  Volunteer  Infantry. 
Two  daughters  have  been  born  to  our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife,  namely:  Constance  and 
Romaine.  In  July,  1S97,  Mr.  Loar  brought 
his  family  to  Bloomington  where  he  has 
since  successfully  engaged  in  general  prac- 
tice, having  accomplished  more  in  two  years 
than  most  lawyers  do  in  a  much  greater 
length  of  time.  Although  not  a  criminal 
lawyer,  he  has  tried  a  number  of  important 
cases  along  that  line,  and  has  had  charge  of 
a  number  of  trial  cases.  He  has  ever  met 
with  marked  success  in  jury  trials,  as  he  is 
not  only  a  good  judge  of  law,  but,  what  is  al- 
most equally  important,  he  is  a  good  judge 
of  men.  It  is  these  qualities,  together  with 
his  great  earnestness  and  ability  as  a  speak- 
er, that  has  brought  to  him  success.  Mr. 
Loar  has  prepared  a  very  interesting  lec- 
ture entitled  "Modern  Mormonism  "  which 
he  has  delivered  with  great  success. 

Socially,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 


Woodmen  of  America  and  is  now  serving  a 
second  term  as  venerable  consul  of  his 
lodge. 


OLIVER  R.  SKINNER,  the  well-known 
director  of  the  Wesleyan  College  of 
Music  and  a  leader  in  musical  circles  in 
Bloomington,  was  born  in  Lake  Zurich,  Lake 
county,  Illinois,  February  7,  1864,  and  is  a 
son  of  David  and  Mary  C.  (Ross)  Skinner, 
natives  of  New  York,  who  were  born  near 
Geneseo,  as  were  also  their  parents.  The 
mother  was  a  descendant  of  Lord  Ross, 
who  came  to  this  country  in  the  Mayflower, 
and  the  father's  ancestors  also  came  to 
America  in  colonial  days  and  assisted  the 
colonies  in  their  struggle  for  independence 
as  soldiers  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  In 
1849,  David  Skinner,  with  two  brothers, 
came  to  Lake  county,  Illinois,  driving  five 
thousand  sheep  across  the  country,  and  he 
purchased  a  tract  of  wild  land,  to  the  culti- 
vation and  improvement  of  which  he  devot- 
ed his  energies  until  1877,  when  he  moved 
to  Normal  for  the  purpose  of  educating  his 
children.  He  died  in  1896,  leaving  three 
children.  He  was  a  supporter  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  as  a  campaign  speaker 
did  much  to  promote  its  interests  and  insure 
its  success.  He  was  a  faithful  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  was 
highly  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Mr.  Skinner,  of  this  review,  began  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  coun- 
ty, and  after  the  removal  of  the  family  to 
Normal  was  a  student  in  the  Normal  school 
and  the  Wesleyan  University.  At  an  early 
age  he  also  took  up  the  study  of  music,  and 
for  some  time  was  a  pupil  of  Professor 
Stanley,  of  Evanston,  and  Professor  Frank 
Mueller.     In  1884  he  went  to  Berlin,  Prus- 


ii8 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


sia,  and  entered  the  middle  classes  of  the 
Kullak  "Neue  Akademie  der  Tonkunst," 
where  he  took  up  the  study  of  piano  under 
Professors  Eckhoff,  Rhenius  and  Jean  Vogt; 
harmony  under  Heinrich  Throm;  and  organ 
under  the  noted  concert  player,  Franz  Grun- 
icke.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year  he  en- 
tered the  higher  classes  and  pursued  his 
studies  under  Franz  Kullak,  Albert  Becker 
and  Franz  Grunicke.  During  that  year  he 
appeared  in  several  concerts  and  won  the 
praise  of  critical  Berlin  audiences.  During 
the  first  summer  vacation  he  studied  Hen- 
selt's  and  Tausig's  methods  with  Heinrich 
Throm,  a  pupil  of  these  masters,  and  also 
began  the  study  of  the  higher  branches  of 
theory  and  composition  with  Albert  Becker, 
the  composer  of  the  Hallelujah  cantata, 
which  was  sung  at  one  of  the  great  concerts 
given  at  the  World's  Fair,  and  the  director 
of  the  noted  cathedral  choir  in  Berlin.  For 
over  two  years  Mr.  Skinner  earnestly  pur- 
sued his  studies  under  these  masters,  and 
during  the  second  summer's  vacation  he 
mastered  Bussler's  Harmony  in  order  ac- 
quire greater  theoretical  technique. 

Returning  to  his  home  in  the  fall  of 
1887,  Mr.  Skinner  founded  the  Blooming- 
ton  Conservatory  of  Music,  which  met  with 
excellent  success  and  numbered  at  the  end 
of  the  second  year  over  two  hundred  and 
fifty  pupils.  At  that  time  Mr.  Skinner  and 
John  R.  Gray  decided  to  consolidate  the 
Bloomington  Conservatory  and  the  Illinois 
College  of  Music,  and  the  school  thus  formed 
has  since  been  known  as  the  Wesleyan  Col- 
lege of  Music,  with  which  Mr.  Skinner  has 
been  connected  for  the  past  nine  years.  As 
a  teacher  he  stands  high  in  the  public  opin- 
ion, which  fact  is  attested  by  his  long  list 
of  talented  pupils.  The  school  is  the  larg- 
est of    its   kind    in   central    Illinois  and  now 


has  an  attendance  of  over  six  hundred, 
there  being  but  one  or  two  musical  colleges 
larger  in  Chicago.  The  college  has  eight 
most  competent  and  thorough  teachers,  and 
many  of  its  graduates  are  now  teaching  in 
Chicago,  Jacksonville  and  other  places,  and 
a  number  have  continued  their  studies  in 
Europe.  During  the  past  five  years  Mr. 
Skinner  has  given  special  training  in  a  course 
of  gymnastics  for  the  hand,  arm  and  lingers, 
and  his  work  in  this  line  has  been  followed 
by  such  wonderful  results  in  the  way  of  giv- 
ing the  student  self-control,  perfect  relaxa- 
tion as  well  as  tension  where  needed  in  solv- 
ing the  problem  of  execution,  that  it  is  now 
introduced  into  the  general  course  of  the 
college.  He  has  played  at  state  teacher 
associations  with  pronounced  success,  and 
has  given  concerts  at  frequent  intervals  in 
addition  to  his  daily  duties  as  a  teacher. 
He  is  a  writer  of  more  than  ordinary  ability, 
and  is  a  regular  contributor  to  leading  mus- 
ical journals.  Asa  composer  and  editor  he 
also  ranks  high  among  young  writers,  and 
his  "Sketches"  have  won  favorable  com- 
ment from  such  men  as  Liebling,  Presser, 
Sherwood,  Gleason  and  other  critics.  Dur- 
ing the  past  year  he  has  done  considerable 
revising  and  editing  standard  teaching  pieces 
for  eastern  publishers.  For  seven  or  eight 
years  he  was  organist  at  the  First  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  of  Bloomington,  and  now 
holds  that  position  in  the  Christian  church. 
He  organized  and  carried  on  the  Mendels- 
sohn Male  Chorus  for  a  number  of  years. 

On  the  17th  of  August,  1896,  Mr.  Skin- 
ner was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Farie 
Stevick,  of  Naperville,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Skin- 
ner is  a  very  talented  soprano  and  a  most 
successful  teacher,  having  for  the  past  three 
years  been  principal  of  the  vocal  depart- 
ment of  the   Wesleyan  College    of    Music. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


119 


She  is  eminently  qualified  to  impart  the 
most  thorough  and  artistic  instruction  to 
her  pupils,  and  has  enrolled  more  students 
in  the  vocal  department  than  any  previous 
teacher.  For  several  years  she  was  a  stu- 
dent at  the  Cincinnati  Conservatory,  and 
for  three  years  pursued  her  studies  with  the 
noted  Italian  master.  Signer  Carpi,  of  the 
Chicago  Conservatory — now  of  Milan,  Italy. 
Her  voice  has  a  phenomenal  compass,  ex- 
tending to  E  above  high  C,  and  is  through- 
out pure  and  melodious  in  quality.  She 
possesses  a  pleasing  personal. ty  and  the  gift 
of  enthusing  her  pupils.  She  is  now  soloist 
and  leader  of  the  choir  of  the  Christian 
church,  though  she  and  her  husband  hold 
membership  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  in  social  as  well  as  musical  cir- 
cles they  occupy  an  enviable  position. 


ELMER  J.  ZEITERS,  a  leading  and  rep- 
resentative citizen  of  Dale  township, 
has  made  his  home  in  McLean  county,  Illi- 
nois, since  the  i8th  of  March,  1882,  and 
has  been  actively  identified  with  its  agri- 
cultural interests,  owning  and  operating  at 
present  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  He  was  born  July  7,  1864, 
in  Hummelstown,  Dauphin  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, of  which  place  his  parents,  Jacob 
and  Matilda  (Bomgardner)  Zeiters,  were 
also  natives,  as  was  also  the  paternal  grand- 
father, George  Zeiters,  who  was  born  on 
the  same  farm  where  the  birth  of  our  sub- 
ject and  his  father  occurred.  The  family 
was  originally  from  Germany  and  were  pio- 
neers of  Dauphin  county.  There  the  father 
of  our  subject  engaged  in  farming  and  was 
one  of  the  well-to-do  and  prominent  citizens 
of  his  community.  On  leaving  his  native 
state  and  coming  west  in  1883,  he  first  lo- 


cated in  Dry  Grove  township,  McLean 
county,  Illinois,  and  afte;-  living  there  two 
years  removed  to  Funks  Grove  township, 
where  he  followed  his  chosen  occupation, 
that  of  a  farmer.  His  next  home  was  in 
Montgomery  township.  Ford  county,  Illi- 
nois, but  is  now  living  in  Calhoun  county, 
Iowa,  where  he  has  purchased  a  farm.  His 
wife  still  survives,  and  with  them  resides 
their  oldest  son,  George,  while  our  subject 
and  their  onl}'  daughter,  Mrs.  Lizzie  Burk- 
hart,  live  in  this  county,  the  latter  being  a 
resident  of  Dry  Grove  township. 

Elmer  J.  Zeiters  acquired  his  literary 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  remained  with  his  father  until  he 
attained  his  majority,  when  he  started  out 
in  life  for  himself  as  an  agriculturist.  On 
the  22d  of  December,  1886,  he  married 
Miss  Lizzie  Sholty,  a  sister  of  Jacob  Sholty, 
who  is  represented  on  another  page  of  this 
volume.  To  them  have  been  born  five 
children,  of  whom  four  are  now  living: 
Harry,  Ethel,  Estella  and  Orville. 

For  one  year  after  his  marriage,  Mr. 
Zeiters  rented  the  farm  which  he  now  owns 
and  then  purchased  the  place.  It  is  one  of 
the  richest  and  most  productive  farms  in  the 
county,  and  he  has  refused  ninety  dollarsan 
acre  for  it.  He  engaged  quite  successfully 
in  general  farming  and  stock-raising  until 
1897,  when  he  removed  to  Covell  and 
embarked  in  business  as  a  general  mer- 
chant and  dealer  in  grain  and  coal,  having 
charge  of  the  entire  business  of  the  village 
with  the  exception  of  the  blacksmithing. 
He  built  up  an  excellent  trade  and  also 
served  as  postmaster  of  the  place,  but  pre- 
ferring farm  life,  he  sold  his  business  in- 
terests there,  resigned  his  office  and  returned 
to  the  farm  in  the  spring  of  1899.  He  has 
remodeled    his    residence,    transforming    it 


I20 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


into  a  fine  country  home,  and  is  now  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
He  takes  quite  an  active  interest  in  educa- 
tional affairs,  and  in  1899  was  elected  school 
trustee  of  his  district,  which  office  he  is  now 
most  creditabl}'  filling.  Although  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lutheran  church,  he  attends  and 
gives  his  support  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  Covell,  in  which  his  wife  holds 
membership.  He  is  widely  and  favor- 
ably known  in  both  business  and  social 
circles,  and  has  won  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in 
contact. 


JEHU  LITTLE,  M.  D.  The  world  has 
little  use  for  the  misanthrope.  The 
universal  truth  of  brotherhood  is  widely 
recognized,  also  that  he  serves  God  best  who 
serves  his  fellow  men.  There  is  no  profes- 
sion or  line  of  business  that  calls  for  greater 
self-sacrifice  or  more  devoted  attention  than 
the  medical  profession,  and  the  successful 
physician  is  he  who,  through  love  of  his 
fellow  men,  gives  his  time  and  attention  to 
the  relief  of  human  suffering.  Dr.  Little  is 
one  of  the  ablest  representatives  of  this 
noble  calling  in  Bloomington,  and  is  to-day 
serving  as  pension  examiner. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  Washington 
county,  Indiana,  October  6,  1833,  and  is  a 
son  of  Richard  and  Sarah  (Hughes)  Little, 
also  natives  of  that  county,  where  they  were 
reared  and  married.  Our  subject's  paternal 
great-grandfather  was  a  native  of  Virginia, 
but  the  grandfather,  Jehu  Little,  was  born 
in  Kentucky  and  was  a  pioneer  of  Wash- 
ington county,  Indiana,  locating  twelve 
miles  from  Salem.  The  great-grandfather 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 
The  mother,  who  was  a  faithful  member  of 
the  Baptist  church,  died  in  her  native 
county,  and  in  1S42  the  father  removed  to 
Clark  county,  Illinois,  where  he  purchased 
a  farm  and  made  his  home  until  called  to 
his  final  rest.      He   held   membership  in  the 


Protestant  Methodist  church,  and  was  held 
in  high  esteem  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Dr.  Little  is  one  of  a  family  of  five  chil- 
dren. Calvin  Little,  his  only  brother,  died 
April  30,  1899,  at  Kirksville,  Missouri,  from 
injuries  received  in  the  cyclone  at  that 
place  three  days  before.  Age,  sixty-seven 
and  a  half  years.  Maria  Goldsby,  his  old- 
est'sister,  died  at  her  home  in  Adair  county, 
Missouri,  in  1S98.  Age,  seventy-two  years. 
Mary  Boyer,  his  youngest  sister,  died  at  her 
home  in  Edgar  county,  Illinois,  July  14, 
1899.  Age,  sixtj'-three  years.  His  other 
sister,  Mrs.  Marenda  Hyden,  resides  in  Ed- 
gar county,  Illinois.  She  is  seventy  years 
of  age.  He  cherished  a  warm  affection  for 
his  brother  and  sisters. 

Dr.  Little  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  schools  of  Clark  county,  later  attend- 
ing Marshall  College,  of  Marshall,  Illinois, 
and  the  Normal  University,  of  Normal, 
Illinois.  In  the  meantime  he  taught  school 
for  four  years,  and  in  August,  1861,  after  a 
most  thorough  and  severe  competitive  ex- 
amination by  the  board  of  education,  he 
was  appointed  principal  of  a  school  in 
Bloomington  for  one  year.  He  was  a 
student  at  the  Normal  University  two  years 
and  two  terms,  lacking  but  one  term  and 
one  study  of  graduating,  and  he  would 
have  graduated  had  he  not  gone  into  the 
Union  army.  October  i,  1S61,  he  resigned 
his  school  and  enlisted  as  hospital  steward 
in  the  33d  Illinois  Volunteers,  known  as 
the  Normal    Regiment,  and  on  January   3, 

1862,  he  was  detailed  as  brigade  hospital 
steward  at  Ironton,  Missouri.  On  the  6th 
of  October  of  the  same  year  he  was  ap- 
pointed hospital  steward  in  the  Regular 
army.  United  States  of  America,  by  the 
secretary  of  war,  Edward  M.  Stanton,  and 
assigned  to  duty  at  the  large  United  States 
hospital  in  Chicago,  where  he  had  a  great 
deal  of    power.      On   the    12th    of   January, 

1863,  he  was  commissioned  assistant  sur- 
geon of  the  Twenty-fourth  Missouri  Volun- 
teer Infantry  by  Governor  Gamble,  of  Mis- 
souri, and  joined  the  regiment  at  West 
Plains,    that   state,    February   7,   remaining 


JEHU   LITTLE,   M.   D. 


PUBLIC  L.BllARY 

ASTOR,  LENOX 
I  TILPCN  FOUND.'.  TIONS 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


123 


with  it  until  it  was  mustered  out  at  the  ex- 
piration of  its  term  of  enhstment,  in  Octo- 
ber, 1864,  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  He  was 
with  the  regiment  in  the  field  in  southeast- 
ern Missouri,  western  Kentucky,  Tennessee 
and  Louisiana,  and  in  the  celebrated  Red 
river  campaign  under  Banks;  was  with  Gen- 
eral Sherman's  command  through  Missis- 
sippi from  Vicksburg  to  Meridian,  and  then 
went  to  southern  Tennessee  and  northern 
Mississippi  under  General  A.  J.  Smith,  01 
the  Third  Division,  Sixteenth  Army  Corps. 
Dr.  Little  always  displayed  great  heroism 
in  the  presence  of  great  danger,  and  in 
1864,  right  after  the  battle  of  Tupelo,  Mis- 
sissippi, he  volunteered  to  remain  with  the 
wounded  of  the  army,  knowing  well  that 
he  would  be  captured  by  the  enemy,  and  he 
was  the  only  surgeon  who  would  make  tlje 
sacrifice.  Ten  days  after  being  taken  pris-- 
oner  he  was  first  sent  with  the  wounded  to  the 
Federal  hospital  at  Mobile,  then,  with  three 
other  captured  surgeons  and  a  colonel,  he 
was  sent  to  Meridian,  Mississippi,  from  there 
to  the  noted  prison  in  Cahaba,  Alabama,  and 
thence  to  Montgomery,  Alabama,  and  on  to 
Libby  prison,  Richmond,  Virginia,  where, 
with  three  hundred  and  fifty  others,  he  was 
finally  released  September  i,  1864,  after 
nearly  two  months'  imprisonment.  He  was 
then  sent  to  Annapolis  and  later  to  Wash- 
ington, District  of  Columbia,  where  he  was 
granted  a  furlough  of  one  month,  a  part  of 
which  he  spent  in  Bloomington.  The  priva- 
tions and  hardships  endured  and  suffered 
while  he  was  held  as  a  prisoner  injured  his 
physical  health  more  than  the  three  years' 
previous  service  in  our  army.  He  weighed 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  pounds  when 
he  fell  into  the  Confederates'  hands,  and 
when  released  he  weighed  one  hundred  and 
twenty-nine  pounds  and  was  very  weak  and 
feeble.  In  fact  he  has  been  an  invalid  ever 
since.  On  the  ist  of  October  he  rejoined 
his  regiment  at  Jefferson  barracks,  St. 
Louis,  and  with  it  went  in  pursuit  of  Price, 
v\'ho  had  invaded  Missouri  with  the  inten- 
tion of  capturing  St.  Louis.  After  driving 
.that  rebel  general  from  the  state,  the  regi- 


ment was  mustered  out  October  28,  1864, 
on  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  enlistment. 
At  four  different  times  during  his  service 
Dr.  Little  was  in  charge  of  smallpox  hos- 
pitals located  at  Ironton,  Missouri;  Union 
City,  Tennessee;  New  Madrid,  Missouri,  and 
Alexandria,  Louisiana,  and  for  a  time  had 
charge  of  the  government  smallpox  hospital 
at  Vicksburg.  In  1S63,  when  serving  as  sur- 
geon of  the  Fourth  Missouri  Cavalry,  he  ac- 
companied Colonel  George  E.  Waring  on 
his  perilous  expedition  after  Forrest  in  Ken- 
tucky and  Tennessee,  being  the  only  sur- 
geon with  the  command.  In  southwestern 
Missouri,  when  facing  a  large  force,  the 
comtiiander  called  for  a  volunteer  to  ride 
sixty  miles  in  the  night  to  Ironton  for  re-en- 
forcements. The  Doctor  came  forward  and 
offered  hie; services,  and  taking  a  horse  rode 
••  there  and  back  in  safety,  though  surrounded 
on  all  sides  by  bushwhackers.  This  was 
only  one  of  many  times  when  he  displayed 
great  bravery  and  came  to  the  assistance 
of  his  comrades.  After  being  mustered  out 
with  the  Twenty-fourth  Missouri  Volunteer 
Infantry,  Dr.  Little  went  to  New  York  City 
and  attended  a  course  of  lectures  at  the 
Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  and  a 
spring  term  in  the  Long  Island  Hospital 
Medical  College,  graduating  June  24,  1865. 
}le  was  then  examined  by  the  army  medical 
examining  board  in  New  York  and  commis- 
sioned assistant  surgeon  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Tenth  United  States  Colored  Infantry, 
which  he  joined  September  9,  1865,  at 
Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  with  which  he  re- 
mained until  February  6,  1866,  when  he 
was  mustered  out  at  Huntsville,  Alabama. 
Dr.  Little  had  commenced  the  study  of 
medicine  before  entering  the  army,  having 
attended  medical  clinics  and  lectures  in  Chi- 
cago. On  his  return  from  the  army  he 
opened  an  office  for  the  practice  of  his  chosen 
profession  in  Bloomington  in  February, 
1866,  but  the  following  July  removed  to  Le- 
roy,  where  he  did  an  extensive  country  prac- 
tice for  ten  years.  He  returned  to  Bloom- 
ington in  May,  1877,  and  has  since  been 
engaged  in  the  general  practice  of  medicine, 


124 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


though  giving  special  attention  to  the  dis- 
eases of  women  and  children.  After  sell- 
ing out  in  Leroy,  he  went  to  Philadelphia, 
in  January,  1877,  and  there  took  a  post- 
graduate course  in  Jefferson  Medical  Col- 
lege and  regularly  graduated.  He  was  not 
long  in  building  up  a  good  practice  in  Bloom- 
ington,  which  he  still  enjoys.  He  is  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  McLean  County  Med- 
ical Society,  the  Illinois  State  Medical  So- 
ciety, and  the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion. He  has  been  secretary  and' president 
of  the  first  named  and  is  now  its  treasurer, 
and  has  often  read  papers  before  the  differ- 
ent societies,  and  has  contributed  many  val- 
uable articles  to  medical  journals.  He  is 
now  secretary  of  the  United  States  board 
of  pension  examiners  appointed  by  the  com- 
missioner of  pensions. 

On  the  7th  of  February,  1867,  Dr. 
Little  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Helen  M.  Humiston,  of  Abingdon,  Kno.x 
■county,  Illinois,  who  was  educated  at  Gales- 
burg,  and  to  them  have  been  born  four  chil- 
dren, namely:  Mary  A.,  wife  of  Louis  \\'. 
Sensenny,  of  Chatham;  Richard  H.,  who 
for  the  past  four  years  has  been  connected 
with  the  Chicago  Tribune,  and  who  distin- 
guished himself  as  its  staff  correspondent 
at  Havana,  Cuba,  during  the  winter  of  1898 
'99;  and  who  is  now  in  the  Philippine  Islands 
and  as  the  Tribune's  staff  correspondent; 
Willie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years; 
and  Lillian,  who  is  at  home.  The  Doctor 
attends  the  Unitarian  church  and  is  liberal 
in  his  religious  views.  His  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  For  twenty-two  years  he  has 
made  his  home  at  No.  606  East  Taylor 
street. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  Republic- 
an party.  Dr.  Little  has  been  one  of  its 
stanch  supporters  and  was  one  of  the  or- 
ganizers of  the  original  Fourth  Ward  Mc- 
Kinley  Club,  in  March,  1896,  and  was  its 
president  the  last  three  months  of  the  cam- 
paign of  1896;  he  organized  the  McLean 
county  soldiers  into  the  Union  \'eterans' 
Patriotic    League,  of   Bloomington,    in   Au- 


gust, 1896,  and  from  the  very  start  was  its 
honored  president.  He  is  also  an  active 
and  prominent  member  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  and  at  different  times  has 
served  as  adjutant,  surgeon  and  commander 
of  the  post  in  Bloomington.  In  1895  he 
was  elected  medical  director  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Illinois  for  one  term,  has  usually 
been  a  delegate  to  the  department  encamp- 
ment, and  was  once  a  delegate  to  the  na- 
tional encampment.  He  is  an  active  worker 
and  secretary  of  the  Illinois  Association  of 
Union  E.\-Prisoners  of  War,  and  for  twenty 
years  has  been  a  member  of  Bloomington 
Lodge,  No.  43,  F.  &  A.  M.  For  almost  a 
quarter  of  a  century  he  has  been  numbered 
among  the  valued  citizens  of  Bloomington 
who  have  been  devoted  to  the  public  wel- 
fare. He  has  manifested  the  same  loyalty 
in  days  of  peace  as  in  days  of  war,  and  all 
who  know  him  have  for  him  the  highest  re- 


gard. 


REV.  MILTON  L.  HANEY,  who  makes 
his  home  in  the  city  of  Normal,  is  one 
of  the  most  successful  evangelists  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  is  not 
only  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  of  rare  power, 
but  he  has  a  military  record  of  which  any 
man  might  well  be  proud.  He  was  born  in 
Savannah,  Richland  county,  Ohio,  January 
23,  1825,  and  is  the  son  of  Rev.  James  and 
Mary  (Bevans)  Haney,  his  father  being  a 
native  of  Ireland,  who  came  to  this  country 
a  youth  of  si.xteen  years,  and  located  first  in 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  married  and 
raised  a  family  by  his  first  wife,  and  later 
moved  to  Ohio,  where  after  death  of  first 
wife  he  married  the  mother  of  our  subject, 
where  he  engaged  for  a  time  in  farming, 
and  in  local  preaching.  \\'hile  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, feeling  that  he  was  called  of  God,  he 
entered  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal   church,    and  became    a    minister  of 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


125 


prominence  and  ability,  devoting  nearly  all 
his  life  to  his  chosen  work,  his  field  of  labor 
being  principally  in  the  states  of  Ohio  and 
Illinois.  During  the  war  of  18 13  he  served 
his  adopted  country  faithfully  and  well,  and 
while  residing  in  Ohio  served  for  two  years 
in  the  state  legislature.  In  1 834  he  removed 
with  his  family  to  Illinois  and  located  in 
Fulton  county,  and  in  this  state  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  was  spent,  dying  at  the 
age  of  eighty  years.  He  was  a  good  man 
in  every  respect,  active  in  every  good  and 
righteous  cause,  and  lived  a  life  of  useful- 
ness, a  blessing  to  others  as  well  as  him- 
self. By  two  marriages,  he  became  the 
father  of  fourteen  children,  four  of  the  num- 
ber becoming  prominent  ministers  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  who  have  left 
the  impress  of  their  mind  and  individuali- 
ty upon  thousands,  especially  in  the  mili- 
tary tract  of  Illinois.  Two  of  the  four  are 
yet  living  and  actively  engaged  in  preaching 
the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  Illi- 
nois with  his  parents,  in  1834,  being  at  the 
time  nine  years  of  age.  He  received  his 
early  training  and  education  in  Fulton  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  completing  his  course  in  Platts- 
ville,  Wisconsin.  His  early  life  was  spent 
on  a  farm,  and  in  farming  he  continued  to 
engage  until  1846,  when  he  felt  a  decided 
call  to  the  ministry,  and  was  soon  ordained 
to  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  until  18G1  was  actively  engaged 
in  preaching  the  gospel,  serving  as  pas- 
tor of  some  of  the  most  prominent  churches 
of  that  denomination  in  the  state. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  he  saw 
the  necessity  of  defending  the  integrity  of 
his  country  against  its  contemplated  disso- 
lution by  the  southern  states  of  the  union, 
and  offering  his  services  to  the  government. 


was  commissioned  as  captain  of  Company  F, 
Fifty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry,  and  after  five 
months' command  of  his  company,  he  was 
commissioned  chaplain  of  the  regiment  and 
served  as  such  until  near  the  expiration  of 
his  term  of  service,  when  he  was  commis- 
sioned as  colonel  of  the  veteran  regiment, 
near  the  close  of  the  war.  January  i,  1865, 
he  was  honorably  discharged.  All  through 
the  war,  and  prior  to  being  commissioned 
colonel,  he  showed  himself  every  inch  a 
soldier,  as  well  as  a  true  christian  man. 
At  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  when  a 
portion  of  the  Federal  troops  became  panic 
stricken  and  retreated  in  confusion,  although 
but  a  chaplain,  he  was  the  man  of  all  the  en- 
tire force  to  bring  order  out  of  confusion. 
He  went  from  point  to  point  on  the  scene  of 
carnage  importuning  the  men  to  be  soldiers 
worthy  of  the  cause  they  represented,  and  to 
show  their  courage  by  defending  it  like  men. 
Whenever  he  found  men  enough  to  rally,  he 
spoke  to  them  in  words  of  kindness,  but 
with  firmness  and  enthusiasm.  The  result 
was  almost  phenomenal — the  men  rallied, 
got  together  and  defeated  the  enemy.  It  is 
said  by  some  of  the  officers,  high  in  rank, 
that  they  never  heard  such  eloquence  falling 
from  the  lips  of  man,  as  Chaplain  Haney 
urged  the  dispirited  soldiers  to  renewed  ac- 
tion. He  seemed  to  be  truly  inspired  of 
God,  and  was  in  great  dread  of  the  Federal 
cause  being  defeated. 

Another  instance  may  be  mentioned  of 
the  daring  and  bravery  of  the  chaplain.  At 
the  battle  of  Atlanta,  a  portion  of  the  Union 
forces  were  thrown  into  disorder  and  con- 
fusion caused  by  the  death  of  General  Mc- 
Pherson.  Chaplain  Haney  jumped  into  the 
breach,  rallied  the  retreating  forces  and  took 
the  enemy's  position.  ,For  this  meritorious 
achievement    Congress    voted    him    a    gold 


126 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


medal,  which  he  honorably  but  humbly 
wears.  As  captain,  chaplain  and  colonel, 
his  men  loved  and  trusted  him.  His  hu- 
mane treatment  of  his  men  in  tent,  on  the 
march,  in  battle  or  in  the  hospital,  endeared 
him  to  them,  and  herein  laid  his  strength 
and  influence  over  them.  He  commanded 
through  respect  and  love. 

On  his  discharge  from  the  service  in  Jan- 
uary, 1865,  Colonel  Haney  re-entered  the 
pulpit,  and  served  as  pastor  for  a  short  time, 
but  seeing,  as  John  Wesley  did,  a  larger 
parish  than  that  assigned  him  by  the  bishop, 
he  became  an  evangelist,  a  calling  that  he  has 
followed  with  wonderful  success  for  the  last 
twenty-two  years,  and  it  is  estimated  that 
no  less  than  ten  thousand  souls  have  been 
turned  to  God  through  his  agency.  The 
widespread  influence  of  this  man  of  God 
will  only  be  known  in  eternity,  for  like  a 
pebble  thrown  in  a  body  of  water,  its  influ- 
ence continually  widens,  and  the  result  can 
never  be  measured. 

On  the  loth  of  July,  1849,  Mr.  Haney 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  C. 
Huntsinger,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Ann 
(Holmes)  Huntsinger,  and  by  this  union  four 
children  were  born,  only  one  of  whom  now 
survives,  Conrad,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
publishing  business  in  Philadelphia.  Al- 
though more  than  three  score  years  have 
passed  in  the  life  of  this  man,  he  is  yet  act- 
ive, and  has  the  same  love  for  souls  that  in- 
spired him  to  first  enter  the  service  of  the 
Master.  He  does  not  believe  in  man  allow- 
ing his  talents  to  rust,  bnt  believes  in  using 
them  for  the  good  of  humanity  and  the  glory 
of  God.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic  and  chaplain  of  his 
regimental  society,  and  keeps  in  touch  with 
the  boys  that  wore  the  blue  during  the  dark 
days  from  1861  to  1865. 


REV.  GEORGE  HASTINGS  BUR- 
GESS, pastor  of  the  First  Congre- 
gational church  of  Normal,  is  one  of  the 
popular  and  rising  ministers  of  the  city.  He 
was  born  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  December  14, 
1857,  and  is  the  son  of  George  and  Mary 
F.  (Barbour)  Burgess,  the  former  a  native 
of  New  York,  and  the  latter  of  Massachu- 
setts. George  Burgess  was  a  man  of  refine- 
ment and  culture,  and  was  a  graduate  of 
the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York.  Al- 
though he  studied  law  and  theology,  he 
never  followed  either  as  a  profession,  but 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  eventful  and 
useful  life  as  an  educator,  being  fitted  by 
nature  and  education  for  that  important 
profession.  As  a  public  man  he  held  sev- 
eral offices  of  trust  and  responsibility,  at 
one  time  being  postmaster  of  West  New 
Brighton,  on  Staten  Island,  New  York.  His 
good  wife  passed  to  her  reward  in  January, 
1893,  while  his  death  occurred  in  May  of 
the  same  year.  They  were  the  parents  of 
five  children — Louis  F.,  Anna  B.,  Charles 
G.,  George  H.  and  Henry  C.  Of  the  num- 
ber four  are  yet  living. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared 
and  partly  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
Bloomfield,  New  Jersey,  being  fitted  for 
college  by  private  instruction.  In  1879  he 
entered  Williams  College  and  took  a  four- 
years'  course,  graduating  in  1883  with  the 
degree  of  B.  A.  He  subsequently  received 
the  post-graduate  degree  of  M.  A.  After 
pursuing  a  theological  course,  he  was  called 
to  the  pastorate  of  the  Congregational 
church,  of  Hancock,  New  York,  at  which 
place  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry,  Rev. 
Thomas  K.  Beecher  being  moderator  on 
the  occasion.  He  remained  at  this  point 
for  four  years  as  a  young,  but  growing  and 
efficient    preacher    of    the    gospel.      From 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


127 


Hancock  he  was  called  to  Roxbury,  Con- 
necticut, where  he  enjoyed  a  two  years' 
pastorate  of  successful  labor.  From  Rox- 
bury he  was  called  to  the  Third  Congrega- 
tional church  of  East  Haddam,  Connecti- 
cut, where  he  enjoyed  a  pleasant  and  prof- 
itable pastorate  of  four  years.  From  the 
latter  point  he  was  called  to  his  present 
parish,  where,  on  June  15,  1894,  he  took 
upon  himself  the  responsible  position  of 
pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  church 
of  Normal.  This  has  been  the  most  event- 
ful, and  yet  the  most  fruitful  of  all  his  pas- 
torates. In  1896  an  event  occurred  which 
brought  him  most  prominently  before  the 
public,  his  moral  character  and  theology 
being  called  in  question  by  a  rumor  that  he 
was  a  tippler,  and  to  which  was  added  cur- 
rent criticism  of  his  theology.  In  the 
proper  course  of  time  a  n  Ecclesiastical  Coun- 
cil was  called,  and  after  rigid  examination 
he  was  honorably  exonerated  from  both 
charges.  This  outrage  against  his  charac- 
ter and  teachings  brought  him  nearer  to  the 
hearts  of  his  people,  and  elevated  him  in 
the  estimation  of  the  public. 

Rev.  Burgess  is  a  fluent  and  forcible 
speaker,  with  a  clear  enunciation,  and  the 
use  of  the  best  English.  He,  in  truth, 
preaches  what  he  believes,  and  is  not  bound 
by  dogmatic  ideas,  nor  does  he  "  follow  the 
traditions  of  the  elders,  nor  the  command- 
ments of  men."  He  preaches  the  gospel, 
the  good  news  of  the  Son  of  God,  endeavor- 
ing to  teach  in  love. 


LYNN  E.  HERSEY,  principal  of  the 
violin  department  of  the  Wesleyan  Col- 
lege of  Music,  was  born  in  Brighton,  Ohio, 
July  29,  1863,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and 
Almira  (Patrick)  Hersey,  who    were    born. 


reared  and  married  in  Massachusetts,  where 
the  family  was  founded  in  an  early  day  in 
the  history  of  this  country.  From  their  na- 
tive state,  the  parents  removed  to  Brighton, 
Ohio,  later  to  New  London,  and  then  to 
Wellington,  Ohio,  the  father  engaging  in 
business  as  a  contractor  and  builder  in  these 
places,  being  called  from  this  life  in  1889 
at  the  latter  place.  Religiously,  he  was  a 
consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  to  which  his  wife  also  be- 
longed. 

During  the  childhood  of  our  subject  the 
family  removed  to  Wellington,  Ohio,  and 
there  he  pursued  his  literary  studies  in  the 
common  and  high  schools.  During  this 
time  he  commenced  the  study  of  music  un- 
der local  teachers  on  the  violin,  and  after 
completing  his  literary  education  he  went 
to  Mansfield,  Ohio,  where  he  became  a 
pupil  of  Professor  Edward  Blitz,  a  private 
teacher  and  a  noted  violinist.  Subsequently 
he  entered  the  Cincinnati  College  of  Music, 
where  for  three  years  he  pursued  his  studies 
under  such  eminent  teachers  as  Henri 
Schradieck  and  Carl  Hauser.  Here  he  took 
the  higher  branches,  including  harmony  and 
theory,  and  was  graduated  from  that  insti- 
tution in  the  class  of  1885.  He  then  came 
to  Bloomington  and  engaged  in  teaching  in 
the  Wesleyan  College  of  Music  for  two 
years,  having  charge  of  the  violin  depart- 
ment. At  the  end  of  that  time  he  went  to 
Germany  and  entered  the  Leipzig  Conserv- 
atory. Having  already  laid  a  good  founda- 
tion for  his  musical  education,  he  was  ena- 
bled at  once  to  enter  the  higher  classes  and 
to  complete  the  required  work  in  much  less 
time  than  is  demanded  of  students  of  ordi- 
nary ability.  There  he  studied  under  the  di- 
rection of  Hans  Sitt,  a  celebrated  teacher, 
conductor    and    composer,  and    also    under 


228 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Freidrick  Hermann  and  Adolf  Brodsky,  who 
are  also  widely  known  violin  teachers  in 
Leipzig.  He  was  a  member  of  the  conserv- 
atory orchestra  while  there,  which  played 
in  public  and  won  commendable  praise. 
After  receiving  his  certificate  from  that  far- 
famed  institution,  Mr.  Hersey  returned 
home  and  resumed  his  former  position  in 
the  Wesleyan  College  of  Music,  where  he 
now  has  the  largest  class  on  the  violin  in 
the  state  outside  of  Chicago,  his  pupils  com- 
ing from  all  parts  of  Illinois.  He  is  one  of 
the  most  popular  violin  players  in  this  sec- 
tion and  his  services  are  in  great  demand  as 
a  soloist. 

In  September,  1893,  Mr.  Hersey  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Grace  Fell,  of 
Bloomington,  a  daughter  of  Robert  Fell, 
an  old  and  honored  resident  of  this  city. 
She  was  a  graduate  of  the  Wesleyan  College 
of  Music  and  there  were  few  musicians  in 
this  city  better  known  or  more  skillful.  Mr. 
Hersey  holds  membership  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  to  which  his  wife  also 
belonged.  Mrs.  Hersey  died  December  29, 
1898.  She  was  a  woman  of  sweet  disposi- 
tion and  with  an  unselfish  spirit.  She  de- 
voted herself  to  her  home  and  friends.  Her 
ambition  was  for  her  husband's  advance- 
ment in  his  profession  and  in  her  work  as- 
sisting him.  He  was  but  yielding  to  her 
wishes  that  she  might  be  near  and  aid  him. 
Her  death  was  indeed  a  severe  blow  to  her 
husband  and  numberless  friends. 


JOHN  A.  BECK— One  of  the  busiest, 
most' energetic  and  enterprising  men  of 
Bloomington  is  the  gentleman  whose  name 
introduces  this  review.  He  is  engaged  in 
the  undertaking  and  livery  business,  with 
offices  at  203  South  Main  street,  and  is  do- 


ing a  prosperous  and  extensive  business. 
He  is  a  son  of  William  and  Catherine  Beck, 
and  was  born  in  Berlin,  Ontario,  on  the 
4th  of  March,  1858.  His  education  was  re- 
ceived in  the  public  schools  of  Berlin,  and 
upon  reaching  his  seventeenth  year  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  the  Great  Western 
Railroad  as  brakeman  on  the  Wellington, 
Gray  and  Bruce  division,  and  was  eventu- 
ally promoted  to  the  position  of  freight  con- 
ductor. After  six  years  he  went  to  Toledo, 
Ohio,  accepting  a  position  as  brakeman  on 
the  Lake  Shore  and  Michigan  Southern 
Railroad,  and  was  shortly  afterward  given 
charge  of  a  train,  which  he  ran  for  three 
years.  In  1884  he  resigned  from  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Lake  Shore  and  Michigan  South- 
ern Railroad  and  removed  to  Bloomington, 
where  he  ran  a  freight  train  over  the  Chi- 
cago and  Alton  Railroad  for  five  years,  and 
for  five  years  following  ran  through  passen- 
ger trains  between  Chicago  and  St.  Louis, 
and  over  the  Kansas  City  division.  He  was 
afaithful  employ  of  the  road  for  over  ten 
years,  and  bore  the  excellent  record  of 
never  having  met  with  an  accident  during 
that  time.  He  was  summarily  dismissed 
for  carrying  an  employe  of  the  road  with- 
out a  pass. 

In  1893  Mr.  Beck  went  to  Chicago, 
where  he  learned  the  undertaking  business, 
and  the  year  following  returned  to  Bloom- 
ington and  formed  a  partnership  with  Guy 
Carlton,  under  the  firm  name  of  Carlton  & 
Beck,  Mr.  Beck  assuming  the  entire  charge 
and  management  of  the  business.  In  con- 
nection with  the  undertaking  establishment 
the  firm  is  engaged  in  the  livery  business, 
with  large  and  commodious  stables  in  the 
center  of  the  town.  By  good  management 
and  judgment,  and  just  and  honorable  deal- 
ings,   the  business    has   prospered,    and   is 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


129 


now  the  leading  undertaking  and  livery 
business  of  Bloomington.  Our  subject  is 
also  engaged  in  the  undertaking  business  at 
Minier,  Tazewell  county,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Smith  &  Beck.  Mr.  Beck  is  busi- 
ness manager  of  this  concern,  while  his 
partner  attends  to  the  practical  side  of  the 
business. 

On  the  1 2th  of  December,  1886,  was 
celebrated  the  marriage  of  Miss  Jennie  Agnes 
Owens,  a  daughter  of  Matthew  Owens,  of 
Bloomington,  to  our  subject,  Mr.  Beck. 
One  child,  a  daughter,  Grace,  has  been 
born  to  this  happy  union.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Beck  and  their  daughter  are  at  home  at  310 
South  Main  street,  in  their  charming  resi- 
dence, which  was  built  by  Mr.  Beck,  and 
which  reflects  so  much  refinement,  good 
taste  and  domestic  luxury.  The  family  are 
prominent  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  when  the  Men's  League,  one  of 
its  social  organizations,  was  formed,  our 
subject  was  its  second  president.  He  is  a 
member  of  a  number  of  Masonic  bodies, 
among  which  are  the  Knight  Templars  and 
Mystic  Shriners.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Order  of  Red  Men, 
the  I.  O.  O.  P.,  and  other  organizations. 
Mr.  Beck  is  a  prominent  figure  in  Bloom- 
ington, possessing  a  courteous  and  pleasing 
manner,  and  winning  friends  by  his  genial 
disposition  and  honorable  character,  which 
commands  the  respect  of  all.  In  all  rela- 
tions of  life  he  has  always  been  faithful  and 
true,  and  no  shadow  of  wrong  has  ever 
darkened  his  honorable  pathway. 


REV.  WILLIAM  R.  WILEY,  Ph.  D., 
presiding  elder  of  the  Normal  district, 
and  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Normal,  is  one 
of  the  best   known   ministers  of   the  Meth- 


odist Episcopal  church  in  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois. He  is  a  native  of  McLean  county, 
and  was  born  in  Colfax,  July  26,  1850,  be- 
ing the  son  of  William  and  Nancy  S.  (Hop- 
kins) Wiley,  who  removed  from  Indiana  to 
this  county,  locating  near  Colfax,  in  1838, 
being  thus  among  the  pioneers  of  this  local- 
ity. William  Wiley  was  a  man  of  some 
means,  and  was  a  welcome  addition  to  the 
community,  and  here  he  endured  the  hard- 
ships incident  to  pioneer  life,  but  being  a 
man  of  resolute  purpose,  he  toiled  on,  early 
and  late,  making  for  himself  and  family  a 
home  in  this  grand  county,  and  giving  his 
children  the  advantages  of  a  liberal  educa- 
tion. He  was  an  efficient  and  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of 
which  body  his  wife  is  also  a  member,  and 
no  less  active.  After  a  long  and  useful  life, 
he  died  March  31,  1891,  leaving  a  devoted 
wife,  loving  children,  and  many  friends  to 
mourn  his  loss.  His  wife  is  yet  living  and 
is  one  of  the  "live  coals  on  God's  altar  "  in 
the  village  of  Colfax.  Their  family  con- 
sisted of  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are 
yet  living:  Joseph  S.,  James  S.,  Mrs.  Liz- 
zie Finchen,  Mrs.  Amelia  Smith  and  Will- 
iam R. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared 
on  the  home  farm,  near  Colfax,  and  until 
his  eighteenth  year  assisted  in  the  farm 
work  and  attended  the  pubhc  schools  of  the 
neighborhood.  He  then  entered  Wesleyan 
University,  where,  in  addition  to  the  literary 
course,  he  studied  theology  and  was  edu- 
cated for  the  ministry.  After  the  comple- 
tion of  his  studies  at  Wesleyan  University, 
he  taught  school  for  five  years,  receiving  a 
first-grade  certificate  from  William  H.  Smith, 
then  county  superintendent  of  public  schools 
of  McLean  county.  His  first  pastorate  was 
at  Mackinaw,  in  1878-9,  and  from  1879  un- 


130 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


til  1882  he  served  the  churches  at  Manito 
and  Spring  Lake,  Illinois.  He  was  admitted 
to  the  Central  Illinois  Conference,  in  1878, 
and  on  the  4th  of  October,  1880,  he  was  or- 
dained deacon  by  Bishop  Hurst.  He  was 
ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Harris,  October 
I,  1882,  at  Lexington,  Illinois.  From  1882 
until  1884,  he  was  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Hudson,  and  at  Gridley  from  1884  until 
1886.  He  was  then  assigned  to  the  charge 
at  Lewiston,  and  served  until  1891.  From 
Lewiston  he  went  to  Toulon,  and  there  re- 
mained until  1894.  He  was  then  at  Ma- 
comb until  1898,  when  he  was  elevated  to 
the  office  of  presiding  elder  of  the  Normal 
district,  and  removed  to  the  city  of  Normal, 
where  he  now  resides. 

The  pastorates  of  Rev.  Wiley  have  been 
successful  to  a  remarkable  degree,  not  only 
from  a  spiritual,  but  from  a  material  stand- 
point also.  At  Macomb  he  built  a  church 
edifice  and  parsonage  costing  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  while  at  Lewiston  he  erect- 
ed one  costing  ten  thousand  dollars.  At 
other  points  where  he  has  labored,  he  has 
erected  smaller  buildings.  His  success  in  this 
line  has  been  so  great  that  he  has  been  called 
the  ' '  church  builder,"  by  his  brethren  of  the 
conference.  As  a  public  speaker  he  is  elo- 
quent, impressive  and  persuasive,  touching 
the  hearts  and  arousing  the  consciences  of 
his  hearers.  Back  of  all  this,  however,  is 
the  hold  he  has  on  the  Divine  hand,  with- 
out which  his  life  work  would  have  proved 
abortive. 

On  the  8th  of  June,  1880,  Rev.  Wiley 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Gertrude 
M.  Green,  who  was  born  in  Bloomington, 
but  who  was  reared  in  Towanda,  where  she 
received  her  education.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
Hamilton  and  Elizabeth  Green,  natives  of 
New  York  state.      By  this  union  seven  chil- 


dren have  been  born:  Hamilton,  Earl, 
Robert,  Lillian,  Elizabeth,  Mildred  and 
Ruth.  In  his  pastoral  work,  Mrs.  Wiley 
has  been  of  great  assistance  to  her  husband. 
In  politics,  Mr.  Wiley  is  a  Republican,  but 
his  ministerial  labors  have  been  such  that 
he  could  give  little  time  to  political  mat- 
ters. Wherever  he  has  been  his  influence 
has  been  felt  on  the  side  of  righteousness 
and  every  good  work,  and  inside  and  out- 
side of  his  church  he  has  commanded  the  re- 
spect and  good  will  of  all. 


PAUL  BEICH  is  one  of  the  most  enter- 
prising and  progressive  business  men 
of  Bloomington,  where  he  is  now  success- 
fully conducting  the  largest  confectionery 
manufactory  in  central  Illinois.  Although 
he  is  still  a  young  man  comparatively,  his 
popularity  in  business  circles  is  established 
on  a  firm  basis — that  of  his  own  well-tested 
merit. 

Mr.  Beich  is  a  native  of  Germany,  born 
in  Wehlau,  East  Prussia,  May  22,  1864, 
and  is  a  son  of  August  and  Hulda  (Vogel- 
sang) Beich.  The  father  was  born  and 
reared  in  Margonin,  the  mother  in  Schnei- 
demuehl,  and  after  their  marriage  they  lo- 
cated at  Wehlau,  where  the  former  served 
as  hospital  inspector  under  the  government. 
During  the  childhood  of  our  subject  the  fam- 
ily removed  to  Culm,  where  he  remained 
until  coming  to  the  new  world.  There  the 
father  served  as  overseer  of  a  cadet  school, 
which  was  one  of  the  first  established  in 
Prussia.  He  remained  with  that  institution 
until  he  retired  from  active  labor  and  now 
being  pensioned.  He  now  lives  at  Schnei- 
demuehl.  The  mother  is  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  church  and  both  are  highly  re- 
spected old  people.     The  paternal  grandfa- 


PAUL  F.   BEICH. 


THE   N^-.;    ',\if:K 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR.  LENOX 
TII.»eN  FOUNDATIONS 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


133 


ther  of  our  subject,  August  Beich,  Sr.,  was 
a  cloth  manufacturer  and  one  of  the  well- 
to-do  citizens  of  Margonin.  Our  subject 
has  but  one  brother,  Reinhold,  who  has  a 
government  position  in  Germany,  being 
Oberpost,  assistant  in  the  postal  service. 

Paul  Beich  attended  first  a  kindergarten 
and  later  a  private  elementary  school,  after 
which  he  was  a  student  in  the  gymnasium 
at  Culm  for  seven  years.  He  then  served 
as  regular  apprenticeship  of  three  years  in 
the  mercantile  trade,  completing  the  same 
at  the  age  of  eighteen.  In  1882  he  came 
alone  to  America  and  at  once  took  up  his 
residence  in  Bloomington,  where  he  found 
employment  with  S.  A.  Maxwell  &  Company,' 
dealers  in  wall  paper,  the  head  of  the  firm 
being  now  president  of  the  wall  paper  trust. 
Mr.  Beich  knew  but  little  English  at  that 
time  but  he  was  not  long  in  mastering  the 
language.  He  was  next  employed  by  Bruce 
&  Brown,  confectioners  until  1886,  when  he 
went  to  St.  Louis  and  connected  himself 
with  O.  H.  Peckham  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, traveling  for  them  until  1891.  His 
territory  covered  the  entire  state  of  Illinois, 
and  while  with  that  firm  he  became  thor- 
oughly conversant  with  every  department 
of  the  business.  In  1891  he  organized  the 
Beich  Buffe  Candy  Company  and  did  a  large 
jobbing  business  until  1893,  when  he  sold 
out  and  returned  to  Bloomington,  purchas- 
ing the  business  of  J.  W.  Gray  &  Company, 
confectionery  manufacturers.  He  carried 
on  business  at  No.  221  East  Front  street 
until  his  increasing  business  demanded  his 
removal  to  larger  quarters,  and  he  then  lo- 
cated at  No.  107,  the  same  street  and  more 
centrally  located.  Still  later  he  removed 
to  109  and  1 1 1  East  Front  street,  where  he 
occupies  three  floors  and  a  basement,  fifty 

by  one  hundred  and  forty-five  feet.      In  his 
7 


factory  he  employs  about  forty  people,  and 
has  eight  salesmen  upon  the  road,  covering 
a  large  amount  of  territory  in  a  number  of 
states.  From  the  beginning  his  trade  has 
constantly  increased,  and  the  success  that 
he  has  achieved  in  this  undertaking  is  due 
entirely  to  his  energy,  good  business  ability 
and  sound  judgment.  January  i,  1899,  he 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  Bloomington 
Caramel  Company. 

On  the  4th  of  September,  1888,  Mr. 
Beich  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Kit- 
tie  Gerken,  a  daughter  of  William  A.  Gerk- 
en,  a  well-known  wholesale  baker  of  Bloom- 
ington, and  to  them  have  been  born  two 
children:  "Otto  Gerken  and  Albert  Charles. 
Mr,  Beichriattends  and  gives  his  support  to 
th6'Episc6'p'a!i-'church,  of  which  his  wife  is  a 
member;  and  socially,  he  belongs  to  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Columbian  Knights, 
the  Royal  Arcanum,  Mozart  Lodge,  F.  &  A. 
M. ,  Bloomington  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  Bloom- 
ington Council,  De  Molay  Commandry,  K. 
T.,  and  the  Eastern  Star.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  National  Confectioners  Association  of 
the  United  States. 


SETH  S.  NOBLE,  for  thirteen  years 
chief  engineer  of  the  city  water-works 
of  Bloomington,  was  born  in  Randolph 
township,  McLean  county,  on  the  8th  of 
April,  1855.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Da- 
vid Noble,  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in 
September,  1795,  was  of  English  descent. 
He  brought  his  family  to  Randolph  township 
in  1 83 1,  purchasing  four  hundred  twenty 
acres  of  land,  and  was  among  the  first  set- 
tlers of  that  township.  His  son,  William 
C,  was  born  in  Hamilton  county,  Ohio, 
February  25,  18 18,  and  was  a  boy  of  thir- 
teen when  his  father  came  to  Illinois.      He 


134 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD, 


lived  on  the  home  farm  until  his  marriage 
with  the  mother  of  our  subject,  when  he 
farmed  for  himself  in  Randolph  township. 
October  31,  1S39,  William  C.  married  Miss 
Isabel  J.  Stewart,  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
Stewart,  who  came  to  Randolph  township 
in  1828.  Five  children  have  been  born  to 
this  union,  two  of  whom  are  living,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  review  and  Mrs.  Alonzo  Cutter, 
of  Hatfield,  Massachusetts.  Three  other 
children,  a  daughter,  Alice,  and  two  infant 
sons,  are  deceased.  The  mother  followed 
them  May  10,  1855,  three  weeks  after  the 
birth  of  our  subject.  Some  time  later  Will- 
iam C.  married  Miss  Eunice  Burley,  January 
10,  1856,  by  whom  he  had  three  daughters. 
He  was  a  prosperous  and  successful  farmer 
and  was  at  one  time  assessor  of  Randolph 
township.  He  inherited  four  hundred  twen- 
ty acres  of  land  from  his  father,  two  hun- 
dred forty  of  which  he  sold  in  1873,  retiring 
from  farm  life,  and  moving  to  Blooming- 
ton.  Politically,  he  was  a  Republican,  and 
held  the  position  of  city  weigher  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  He  was  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  died  April,  1895.  His  widow  and  four 
married  children  survive  him. 

Seth  S.  Noble,  the  gentleman  whose 
name  introduces  this  review,  obtained  his 
earlier  education  in  the  common  schools  of 
Randolph  township,  and  later  at  the  Illinois 
Wesleyan  University,  taking  a  course  in  the 
classics.  On  the  5th  of  January,  1879,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Esther  Mer- 
cer, of  Sheffield,  Bureau  county,  Illinois, 
and  a  daughter  of  John  Mercer,  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Kansas  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight 
years.  Four  children  have  come  to  bless 
this  union,  namely:  Cora  Belle;  Herbert  C. ; 
Muriel  O.  and  Seth  S.,  Jr.  For  five  years 
after   his   marriage   our  subject    farmed    in 


Randolph  township,  and  at  the  expiration 
of  that  time  moved  to  Bloomington,  enter- 
ing the  employ  of  an  engine-builder,  and  rep- 
resenting the  concern  on  the  road.  He 
was  thus  engaged  for  two  years,  and  in 
1886  accepted  a  position  as  fireman  of  the 
city  water-works,  and  in  three  months  was 
promoted  to  the  position  of  assistant  engin- 
eer, taking  charge  at  night.  He  filled  the 
office  so  satisfactorily,  that  at  the  end  of 
fourteen  months  he  was  given  the  position 
of  chief  engineer,  a  position  which  he  holds 
at  the  present  day.  The  plant  has  been 
practically  rebuilt  under  his  superintend- 
ence, only  one  pump,  of  the  original  num- 
ber, being  retained.  There  are  at  the  pres- 
ent time  six  engines  in  operation,  and  dur- 
ing Mr.  Noble's  connection  with  the  works 
there  has  been  an  expenditure  of  over  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars  for  improvements. 
The  well,  from  which  the  water  supply  is 
obtained,  has  been  deepened  and  a  system 
of  drive  wells  added,  the  total  pumping  ca- 
pacity now  being  estimated  at  six  million 
gallons  daily.  Our  subject  also  has  a  gen- 
eral supervision  of  the  electrical  engines  in 
the  same  building,  owned  by  the  city,  and 
used  for  lighting  purposes,  but  does  not  run 
them.  This  is  the  largest  combined  munic- 
ipal plant  in  the  state  outside  of  Chicago. 
Mr.  Noble  is  also  much  interested  in 
raising  fancy  poultry.  He  possesses  a  very 
fine  home,  with  extensive  grounds,  and 
raises  Plymouth  Rock  poultry  exclusively. 
He  has  taken  more  prizes  at  the  Illinois 
State  Poultry  Association  during  the  past 
five  years  than  any  other  person,  and  has 
also  taken  a  great  many  prizes  at  local  ex- 
hibits. At  the  Columbian  Exposition  he  re- 
ceived forty-three  dollars  in  premiums.  He 
has  made  shipments  all  over  the  United 
States  and  Canada,  and  has  twice  made  ship- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


135 


ments  to  South  America,  sending  from  three 
to  five  hundred  fowls,  and  making  large  prof- 
its on  the  shipments.  He  has  sold  single 
birds  at  twenty-five  dollars,  and  now  has  his 
name  permanently  before  the  public. 

Politically,  our  subject  is  a  Republican, 
who  has  no  desire  for  public  office,  prefer- 
ring to  do  his  duty  as  a  private  citizen,  leav- 
ing office-seeking  for  others.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Evergreen  City  Lodge,  No.  265,  and 
is  past  grand  regent  of  that  lodge,  also 
present  representative  of  the  general  lodge, 
which  met  recently  at  Springfield.  He  has 
been  a  very  active  member  in  the  Grand 
Lodge,  and  has  always  been  in  favor  of  a 
just  retrenchment  in  the  expenses.  He  is 
also  deputy  in  the  local  lodge,  and  is  a 
member  of  McLean  Encampment,  No.  29. 
At  the  present  time  he  is  junior  warden,  and 
also  a  member  of  the  Canton  uniformed 
rank,  and  a  member  of  Bloomington  Lodge, 
No.  43,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Forresters,  and 
has  held  all  the  offices  in  the  local  court, 
and  is  now  a  representative  to  the  High 
Court  of  the  state.  Mrs.  Noble  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
No  man  in  Bloomington  stands  higher  in 
popular  esteem.  He  is  courteous,  genial, 
well  informed,  alert  and  enterprising,  and 
stands  to-day  one  of  the  leading  representa- 
tive men  of  his  state. 


DAVID  R.  STUBBLEFIELD,  one  of  the 
most  progressive,  energetic  and  suc- 
cessful agriculturists  of  McLean  county,  is  the 
owner  of  a  large  and  valuable  farm  in  Dale 
township.  His  methods  of  farm  manage- 
ment show  deep  scientific  knowledge,  com- 
bined with  sound   practical   judgment,  and 


the  results  show  that  "high  class"  farming 
as  an  occupation  can  be  made  profitable  as 
well  as  pleasant. 

A  native  of  this  county,  Mr.  Stubblefield 
was  born  in  Funks  Grove  township,  April 
13,  1846,  a  son  of  John  and  Ellisannah 
(Houser)  Stubblefield.  The  Stubblefield 
family  was  founded  in  this  country  prior  to 
the  Revolutionary  war  by  three  brothers, 
Edward,  William  and  John,  who  settled  in 
Virginia,  and  it  is  from  the  last  named  that 
our  subject  is  descended.  On  both  the  pa- 
ternal and  maternal  sides  he  is  eligible  to 
membership  in  the  order  of  the  Sons  of  the 
American  Revolution,  as  his  ancestors  bore 
an  active  part  in  the  struggle  for  independ- 
ence. 

Robert  Stubblefield,  the  paternal  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Halifax 
county,  Virginia,  November  23,  1793,  and 
came  to  McLean  county,  Illinois,  in  the 
fall  of  1824,  at  which  time  he  located 
on  the  south  side  of  Funks  Grove,  but  in 
the  spring  of  1825  moved  to  the  north 
side,  where  he  built  a  cabin  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  took  up  quite 
a  large  tract  of  land,  about  two  thousand 
acres,  and  was  one  of  the  large  land  owners 
of  the  county  in  early  days.  He  was  a 
Whig  in  politics  and  served  as  a  soldier  in 
the  war  of  18 12.  His  death  occurred  June 
8,  1870,  when  over  seventy-six  years  of 
age.  His  first  wife  and  the  grandmother 
of  our  subject  was  Sarah  Funk,  a  sister  of 
Isaac  Funk.  For  his  second  wife  he  wed- 
ded her  sister,  Dorothy  Funk,  while  his 
brother  married  another  sister. 

John  Stubblefield,  our  subject's  father, 
was  born  in  Fayette  county,  Ohio,  June  4, 
1820,  and  was  about  four  years  old  when 
brought  by  his  father  to  McLean  county, 
where   amidst   pioneer  scenes   he   grew  to 


136 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


manhood  with  but  Uttle  opportunity  of  at- 
tending school.  However,  he  made  the 
most  of  his  advantages,  and  by  reading  and 
observation  in  later  years  became  a  well- 
informed  man.  He  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  he  was  married,  Decem- 
ber I,  1842,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years 
to  Miss  Ellisannah  Houser,  a  native  of  In- 
diana, who  was  then  living  with  a  married 
sister  near  Atlanta,  Illinois.  Her  father, 
David  Houser,  was  born  about  1789,  in 
Maryland  and  was  of  German  descent. 
After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Stubblefield  rented 
a  log  cabin  of  Isaac  Funk,  and  during  the 
two  years  he  resided  there  he  rented  and 
operated  a  part  of  his  father's  farm.  In 
the  fall  of  1846  he  entered  forty  acres  of 
government  land  in  the  northern  part  of 
Funks  Grove  township  and  still  continues 
to  make  that  place  his  home.  Prospering 
in  his  undertakings,  he  kept  enlarging  his 
farm  until  at  one  time  he  owned  nearly 
three  thousand  acres,  all  of  which  was 
acquired  through  his  own  industry,  perse- 
verance and  good  management.  He  has 
not  only  been  one  of  the  largest  land  hold- 
ers of  the  county,  but  has  also  been  exten- 
sively engaged  in  stock  raising,  being  an 
excellent  judge  of  cattle  and  hogs,  the  for- 
mer of  which  he  sold  in  Chicago,  the  latter 
in  either  Pekin  or  Peoria.  In  early  days  he 
drove  all  his  stock  to  market  on  foot,  as 
there  were  no  railroads  at  that  time;  but 
this  was  only  one  of  the  many  hardships 
the  early  pioneers  were  called  upon  to  en- 
dure. Like  all  the  other  representatives 
of  the  family,  Mr.  Stubblefield  has  been  a 
Whig  and  later  a  Republican  in  politics, 
and  he  has  taken  quite  an  active  and  prom- 
inent part  in  local  affairs,  serving  as  county 
commissioner  when  the  new  court  house 
was  started.      He  also  filled   the   office   of 


school  treasurer  for  twenty  years.  He  is 
an  earnest  and  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  he 
has  served  as  steward,  class  leader  and 
trustee  most  of  his  life,  and  at  times  as  su- 
perintendent of  the  Sunday  school.  His 
wife  died  March  3,  1895,  and  his  second 
youngest  son  died  at  the  age  of  nine  months. 
The  other  children  are  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Ray- 
burn,  of  Bloomington;  David  R. ,  our  subject; 
George  W. ;  Phineas  M.,  who  is  now  serv- 
ing as  deputy  county  treasurer  of  this  coun- 
ty; Henry  R.,  of  Bloomington;  Mrs.  M.  F. 
Crum,  of  Cass  county,  Illinois;  Simon  P., 
of  Funks  Grove  township;  and  John  W., 
who  is  living  on  the  home  place. 

After  attending  the  public  schools  of 
Funks  Grove  for  some  time,  David  R. 
Stubblefield  took  an  elective  course  at  the 
Wesleyan  College,  Bloomington,  where  he 
was  a  student  for  six  terms.  Thus  well 
fitted  for  the  responsibilities  of  business  life, 
he  returned  home  and  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  twenty-four  years  of  age, 
when  he  removed  to  a  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Dale  township,  given  him 
by  his  father.  He  has  greatly  improved  the 
place  by  the  erection  of  a  comfortable  resi- 
dence and  good  outbuildings,  and  in  1877 
laid  the  first  tile  ever  put  under  the  ground 
in  his  township  for  farm  drainage.  He  has 
since  laid  many  rods  of  tile,  each  year  add- 
ing to  the  amount  and  has  converted  his 
land  into  one  of  the  best  and  most  desirable 
farms  of  the  locality.  In  1S86,  when  the 
water  failed  on  his  place,  he  drilled  the  first 
deep  well  in  the  township  and  put  in  a  pump 
with  a  windmill  attached,  but  since  then  a 
great  many  have  been  drilled  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. He  has  successfully  engaged  in 
general  farming,  buying,  feeding  and  ship- 
ping cattle,  and  has  added  to  his  farm  until 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


137 


he  now  has  four  hundred  and  forty  acres  of 
valuable  land. 

On  the  8th  of  December,  1870,  Mr. 
Stubblefield  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Matilda  Bower,  a  daughter  of  Henry  T. 
Bower,  of  Dale  township.  To  them  have 
been  born  seven  children,  but  two  died  in  in- 
fancy. Those  now  living  are  Nellie,  wife  of 
Carey  Brant,  of  Dale  township;  Lawrence 
W.,  who  aids  his  father  in  the  operation  of 
the  home  farm;  Cora  B.,  who  is  now  attend- 
ing the  high  school  of  Bloomington;  Howard 
B.   and  Lulu  P.,  both  at  home. 

As  an  ardent  Republican,  Mr.  Stubble- 
field  takes  an  active  and  prominent  part  in 
local  politics,  and  has  most  creditably  and 
satisfactorily  filled  the  offices  of  supervisor 
for  two  years,  township  assessor  one  year, 
school  director  twelve  years,  and  school 
trustee  six  years.  While  filling  the  last- 
named  office  there  was  some  trouble  about 
the  location  of  the  new  school-house,  and 
the  case  was  brought  up  for  trial.  It  was 
carried  to  the  appellate  court  at  Springfield, 
our  subject  sustaining  all  the  trials  with  the 
exception  of  the  one  before  the  justice  of 
the  peace.  Finally,  after  a  great  deal  of 
trouble,  the  school  house  was  built.  Al- 
though the  heaviest  taxpayer  in  his  district, 
Mr.  Stubblefield  has  always  given  his  sup- 
port to  any  measure  which  would  improve 
or  benefit  the  schools  of  his  community. 
He  was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the 
old  Covell  Grange,  and  later  joined  the 
Grange  at  Stanford,  of  which  he  served  as 
master  and  which  he  represented  in  the 
State  Grange.  He  was  connected  with  the 
Grange  for  twenty-four  years.  Religiously, 
he  has  been  a  life-long  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Covell,  to  which 
his  wife  and  children  also  belong,  and  he 
ha.s  not  only  given  liberally  to  its  support 


but  has  filled  the  offices  of  class  leader, 
steward  and  Sunday-school  superintendent, 
having  filled  the  last  named  position  for 
eighteen  years.  He  is  a  man  of  recognized 
ability  and  stands  high  in  the  community 
where  he  has  so  long  made  his  home.  Those 
who  know  him  best  are  numbered  among 
his  warmest  friends,  and  no  citizen  in  Mc- 
Lean county  is  more  honored  or  highly  re- 
spected. In  1 899  he  served  as  president  of 
the  McLean  County  Farmers'  Institute. 


ASA  MELCHER,  a  well-known  con- 
tracting stair  builder  and  also  a  general 
manufacturer  of  interior  decorative  work,  of 
Bloomington,  was  born  in  that  city,  Sep- 
tember 16,  1866,  and  is  a  representative  of 
an  old  and  honored  colonial  family,  which 
was  founded  in  this  country  by  Joseph 
Melcher,  who  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  1666 
and  took  up  his  residence  in  Brunswick, 
Maine,  being  one  of  the  early  Puritan  emi- 
grants. The  family  was  originally  German, 
but  Joseph  was  of  the  third  generation  born 
in  England.  He  engaged  in  contracting  as 
a  shipbuilder  and  was  a  man  of  great  wealth 
in  those  times,  bringing  with  him  to  this 
country  twenty  thousand  dollars  in  gold. 
He  married  a  Miss  Perntern,  an  English 
woman,  who  came  to  America  at  the  same 
time  as  her  husband  and  lived  to  the  ex- 
treme old  age  of  one  hundred  and  four 
years.  Their  son,  Noah,  also  a  ship  builder, 
died  in  Brunswick,  Maine,  at  the  age  of  one 
hundred  and  two.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  prior  to  that  time 
members  of  the  family  had  participated  in 
the  Indian  and  other  early  wars  of  this 
country. 

Abner    Melcher,   the   son   of  Noah,  the 
grandfather   of   our   subject,  was   born   at 


138 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Weld,  Maine,  and  during  his  youth  learned 
the  fuller's  trade.  He  married  a  sister  of 
Samuel  R.  Morse,  the  inventor  of  the  tele- 
graph. He  continued  to  reside  in  his  na- 
tive place  until  1837,  when  he  came  to  Mt. 
Vernon,  Illinois,  and  built  a  woolen  mill,  one 
of  the  first  in  the  state.  He  did  general 
work  along  that  line,  but  the  venture  did 
not  prove  a  success,  as  he  was  ahead  of  the 
demand.  He  died  at  that  place  at  the  age 
of  seventy-five  years. 

Josiah  F.  Melcher,  our  subject's  father, 
was  born  in  Weld,  Jefferson  county,  Maine, 
September  10,  18 19,  and  was  fourteen  years 
of  age  when  he  left  that  place  and  came  with 
his  brother  Rufus,  who  was  then  twenty,  to 
Illinois,  settling  at  Mt.  Vernon,  where  they 
bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
for  two  hundred  dollars  in  gold.  They  erect- 
ed their  house  upon  the  present  site  of  the 
court  house  at  that  place.  After  living  there 
for  a  number  of  years,  Josiah  F.  Melcher 
went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  spent  eight  years 
in  learning  the  stair-builder's,  house-builder's 
and  millwright's  trades.  He  remained  there 
one  year  longer,  and  in  185  i  came  to  Bloom- 
ington,  where  he  worked  for  John  W.  Evans 
for  seven  years.  He  then  embarked  in 
business  for  himself  as  a  stair-builder  and 
general  contractor  at  the  same  corner  where 
our  subject  still  continues  to  carry  on  the 
business.  The  father  conducted  a  success- 
ful business  at  that  place  for  thirty-nine 
years,  and  did  much  of  the  stair-building 
and  interior  finishing  throughout  the  city 
and  in  adjoining  towns  until  his  retirement 
from  business  in  1887.  He  is  the  author  of 
two  books  on  Theoretical  Astronomy,  and 
religious  writings,  and  is  the  inventor  of  a 
number  of  mechanical  tools  used  in  his  line 
of  business,  which  were  patented  by  him. 
In  1845  he  married  Miss  Nancy  Elizabeth 


Patterson,  of  Mt.  Vernon,  who  was  also  a 
native  of  Maine  and  died  in  1877.  Of  the 
ten  children  born  to  them,  only  four  reached 
years  of  maturity,  these  being  Newton, 
Milton,  Freeman  and  Asa,  all  stair-builders, 
but  our  subject  is  the  only  one  now  living. 
The  family  has  been  well  represented  in  all 
the  wars  of  this  country  and  Freeman  was 
among  the  boys  in  blue  during  the  Civil 
war,  enlisting  at  Danville,  Illinois,  in  Com- 
pany C,  Sixty-second  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, when  only  fourteen  years  and  nine 
months  of  age.  He  died  in  the  hospital  at 
Dayton,  Ohio.  Richard,  Henry  and  Ellen 
all  died  of  cholera  at  St.  Louis  within  one 
week. 

The  literary  education  of  Asa  Melcher 
was  acquired  in  the  city  schools  of  Bloom- 
ington.  At  the  age  of  ten  years  he  began 
working  in  his  father's  shop,  where  he  served 
his  apprenticeship,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
three  found  employment  with  John  W. 
Evans,  for  whom  he  worked  five  years.  On 
his  father's  retirement  he  took  charge  of  the 
business,  which  he  has  since  successfully 
carried  on,  enjoying  a  good  trade  in  this 
city  and  neighboring  towns,  where  he  has 
put  in  the  interior  finishings  of  many  of  the 
best  houses.  He  furnishes  employment  to 
three  or  four  men  all  the  time,  and  as 
occasion  demands  increases  his  force.  He 
devotes  his  whole  time  to  his  business  and 
has  met  with  excellent  success.  He  owns  a 
fine  home  at  No.  506  East  Walnut  street, 
where  he  owns  two  lots  in  the  finest  resi- 
dence district  of  the  city,  being  near  Frank- 
lin Park. 

On  the  I2th  of  April,  1S87,  Mr.  Melcher 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Dora  Dyke, 
of  Bloomington,  and  to  them  were  born  four 
children,  namely:  Stanley  R. ,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  six  years;  Mildred,   Hester  and 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


139 


Eleanor.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Melcher  have 
been  members  of  the  Christian  church  for 
several  years.  Socially,  he  is  a  prominent 
member  of  Damon  Lodge,  No.  10,  K.  of  P., 
of  which  he  has  been  chancellor  a  number 
of  times,  and  he  is  eligible  for  membership 
in  the  Grand  Lodge.  His  political  support 
has  always  been  given  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  Democratic  party,  but  he  has  never 
been  an  aspirant  for  office.  His  career  has 
ever  been  such  as  to  warrant  the  trust  and 
confidence  of  the  business  world,  for  he 
has  ever  conducted  all  transactions  on  the 
strictest  principles  of  honor  and  integrity. 
His  devotion  to  the  public  good  is  un- 
questioned, and  arises  from  a  sincere  inter- 
est in  the  welfare  of  his  fellow  men. 


JAMES  P.  BUTLER,  the  well-known 
and  popular  proprietor  of  the  Butler 
House,  of  Bloomington,  is  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, having  been  born  in  Scott  county, 
near  Frankfort,  on  the  2d  of  September, 
1838.  His  parents  were  William  H.  and 
Hattie  Jane  (Spicer)  Butler,  both  natives  of 
the  Blue  Grass  state.  The  family  moved 
to  Covington,  Kentucky,  when  James  was  a 
child,  and  in  1855  came  to  Bloomington, 
where  for  a  time  the  father  worked  at  his 
trade,  that  of  the  carpenter,  and  later  en- 
gaging in  the  butcher  business  with  his  son, 
dying  in  1861.  His  wife  still  lives  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years,  making 
her  home  with  her  son,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  In  her  religious  views  she  is  a  Bap- 
tist, and  her  husband  was  a  Methodist.  The 
family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Butler  are  here 
named  in  order  of  birth:  James  P.,  the 
subject  of  this  review;  John,  a  resident  of 
Bloomington;  Thomas,  of  Chicago;  Mrs. 
Jane  Barksley,  of   Springfield,   Illinois;  Eu- 


nice, deceased,  the  wife  of  Randolph  Ar- 
lington, of  Huron,  South  Dakota;  Mrs. 
Alice  Harris,  of  Springfield;  Mrs.  Anna 
Galeman,  also  of  Springfield;  and  Mrs. 
Esther  Roberts,  of  the  same  city. 

James  obtained  his  education  at  the 
schools  of  Covington,  Kentucky,  and  Bloom- 
ington, and  learned  his  trade  with  Dedrich 
Bradner,  an  old  firm  of  Bloomington. 
For  a  time  he  worked  at  his  trade,  that  of 
tinner,  and  then  went  into  the  butcher  busi- 
ness for  himself,  taking  his  father,  Wm.  H. 
Butler,  into  the  business,  where  he  remained 
until  his  death.  Our  subject  then  sold  his 
stock  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  and  bak- 
kery  business  on  Front  street.  Selling  the 
grocery  business,  he  entered  the  police 
force,  and  was  captain  of  the  night 
force,  and  at  the  same  time  was  city  col- 
lector, and  also  alderman  from  the  third 
ward  for  two  terms.  After  this  time  our 
subject  was  elected  constable,  an  office 
which  he  held  for  two  terms,  and  was  dep- 
uty sheriff  under  Mr.  Swain.  For  fifteen 
years  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  detective 
business,  and  has  been  successfully  em- 
ployed on  some  of  the  most  important  crim- 
inal cases  in  the  state.  He  is  a  man  en- 
dowed with  the  strongest  individuality,  in- 
trepid bravery  when  in  the  face  of  most  des- 
perate situations,  and  a  phenomenal  coolness 
and  presence  of  mind  under  all  circumstan- 
ces. He  worked  the  case  that  brought  out 
the  evidence  in  the  Zura  Burns  case  of  Lin- 
coln, Illinois,  and  demanded  the  arrest  of 
O.  H.  Carpenter.  He  also  furnished  the 
evidence  that  caused  the  death  of  the  mur- 
derer of  Owen  Goodfellow,  and  a  number 
of  others.  Mr.  Butler  is  the  proprietor  of 
the  Butler  House,  and  after  making  the 
purchase  built  a  three-story  brick  addition. 
He  has  done  a   successful  business  for  the 


140 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


past  fifteen  years,  and  is  the  oldest  hotel 
man,  in  point  of  time,  in  Bloomington. 

Mr.  Butler  and  his  wife,  who  was  before 
her  marriage  Miss  Lizzie  Cavanaugh,  of 
Ottawa,  Illinois,  are  the  parents  of  two 
sons,  and  also  have  a  little  adopted  daugh- 
ter, Myrtle.  Major  William  P.  Butler,  the 
eldest  son  of  our  subject,  is  city  engineer, 
and  was  major  of  the  First  Squadron,  First 
Illinois  Cavalry.  He  had  been  connected 
with  the  engineer  corps,  and  was  its  cap- 
tain at  the  opening  of  the  Spanish-Ameri- 
can war.  He  entered  the  United  States 
service  and  was  sent  to  Chickamauga,  and 
after  being  mustered  out  of  service  returned 
to  the  state  militia,  and  was  ordered  to 
Pana,  where  was  given  charge  of  the  troops 
during  the  riots  among  the  miners  in  that 
locality.  Major  Butler  married  Miss  Tillie 
Baumback,  by  whom  he  has  three  daugh- 
ters: Hazel,  Cecil  and  Orville.  He  has 
held  the  position  of  city  engineer  for  the 
past  eight  years,  with  much  satisfaction  to 
the  community.  Captain  Charles  E.  But- 
ler, the  youngest  son  of  our  subject,  is  cap- 
tain of  Troop  G,  First  Illinois  Volunteer 
Cavalry,  in  the  United  States  service  dur- 
ing the  Spanish-American  war.  At  the 
present  time  (May,  1899)  is  captain  of 
Troop  B,  which  has  been  the  only  troop  at 
Pana  for  the  past  five  weeks  of  the  labor 
trouble.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Illinois  National  Guards  for  the  past  four- 
teen years,  and  was  second  lieutenant  of  his 
company.  By  his  first  wife  he  has  one 
daughter,  Edna.  While  at  Chickamauga, 
for  his  second  wife  he  married  Miss  May 
Brewer,  of  Bloomington. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  and  in  his  political  principles  is 
a  stanch  Republican,  who  has  always  taken 
^n  active  and  prominent  part  in  the  support 


of  his  party.  He  has  always  taken  an 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  city  of  his 
home,  and  is  considered  one  of  her  ablest 
citizens.  Every  enterprise  calculated  to 
promote  her  interests  finds  cordial  support 
at  his  hands,  and  he  has  been  an  invaluable 
factor  in  her  prosperity.  He  is  a  man  of 
scholarly  attainments,  pleasant  genial  man- 
ner, of  easy  approach,  and  possesses  the 
warm  regard  of  all. 


HENRY  S.  S  WAYNE.  Among  the 
prominent  men  to  whom  Bloomington 
has  been  a  place  of  residence  is  Henry 
Stewart  Swayne,  a  scientist  whose  investi- 
gations and  researches  have  greatly  enriched 
the  educational  department  of  this  city. 
For  many  years  he  was  prominently  con- 
nected with  the  active  affairs  of  business  life 
and  thus  wielded  a  wide  influence,  but  in  the 
field  of  knowledge  his  labors  were  most 
effective  and  their  result  is  immeasurable. 
In  commercial  life  he  was  eminently  prac- 
tical and  manifested  a  far-seeing  judgment 
and  discrimination  that  led  to  prosperity, 
but  in  the  realms  of  mental  advancement  he 
gave  to  the  world  an  impetus  whose  power 
can  never  be  lost,  for  each  discovery  adds  to 
the  sum  total  of  the  world's  advancement. 
His  student  life  naturally  prevented  him 
from  mingling  greatly  with  his  fellow  men, 
yet  he  was  a  gentleman  of  broad  human 
sympathies  and  by  those  who  knew  him  well 
his  companionship  was  greatly  enjoyed. 

Henry  Stewart  Swayne  was  born  in 
Columbus,  Ohio,  June  2,  1845,  ^nd  was  a 
representative  of  an  old  and  honored  Amer- 
ican family  that  was  founded  in  the  New 
World  by  Francis  Swayne,  who  crossed  the 
Atlantic  with  William  Penn.  The  farm  up- 
on which  he  settled  near  Philadelphia  is  still 


-^-^ 


'  ^_y  x.r.  j-c.  CasLS  b  el^-'^'^ 


Henry    S.   Swayne 


THE   NL\V    ,uKK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,  LENOX 
TILDEN  FOt*N»ATIQN8 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


143 


in  possession  of  his  descendants.  Joshua 
Swayne,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  re- 
moved from  Pennsylvania  to  Virginia,  and 
there  Judge  Noah  Swayne  was  born  in  Cul- 
peper  county,  December  7,  1804.  He  was 
one  of  the  most  conspicuous  figures  in  the 
history  of  the  jurisprudence  of  the  nation. 
His  public  career  extended  over  a  long  pe- 
riod, and  that  of  no  member  of  the  United 
States  supreme  court  has  been  more  fearless 
in  conduct,  more  stainless  in  reputation. 
He  acquired  a  good  literary  education  in 
Waterford,  Virginia,  after  which  he  studied 
law  in  Warrenton  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1823.  He  afterward  removed  to 
Ohio,  and  in  1825  opened  an  office  in  Co- 
shocton, that  state.  From  1826  until  1829 
he  served  as  prosecuting  attorney  of  ^i§  . 
county  which  was  the  beginning  of  a  public 
career  alike  honorable  to  the  state  and  to 
himself.  On  the  Democratic  ticket  he  was 
elected  to  the  Ohio  legislature,  and  in  1831 
he  was  appointed  United  States  district  at- 
torney for  Ohio,  at  which  time  he  removed 
to  Columbus,  capably  serving  in  that  posi- 
tion until  1 841 1  In  1833  he  declined  the 
office  of  presiding  judge  of  the  common 
pleas  court.  From  the  time  of  his  retire- 
ment from  the  office  of  United  States  district 
attorney  he  engaged  in  the  private  practice 
of  law  until  appointed,  in  conjunction  with 
Alfred  Kelly  and  Gustavus  Swan,  a  fund 
commissioner  to  restore  the  credit  of  the 
state.  He  also  served  on  the  commission 
that  was  sent  by  the  governor  to  Washing- 
ton to  effect  a  settlement  of  the  boundary 
line  between  Ohio  and  Michigan,  and  in 
1 840  was  a  member  of  the  committee  to  in- 
quire into  the  condition  of  the  blind.  The 
trial  of  William  Rossane  and  others  in  the 
circuit  court  at  Columbus,  in  1853,  for  the 
burning    of    the  steamboat  Martha    Wash- 


ington, to  obtain  the  insurance,  was  one  of 
the  most  celebrated  cases  with  which  he 
was  connected.  He  also  appeared  as  coun- 
sel in  fugitive  slave  cases,  and  owing  to  his 
anti-slavery  opinions,  joined  the  Republican 
party  on  its  formation,  liberating  at  an  early 
day  the  slaves  he  received  through  his  mar- 
riage in  1832.  In  1862  he  was  appointed 
by  President  Lincoln  a  justice  of  the  su- 
preme court  of  the  United  States,  and 
served  in  that  high  office  until  1881,  when 
he  resigned  on  account  of  advanced  age. 
The  degree  of  LL.  D.,  was  conferred  upon 
him  by  Dartmouth  and  Marietta  Colleges  in 
1863  and  by  Yale  College  in  1865.  He  died 
in  New  York  City  in  June,  1884.  He  was 
instrumental  in  shaping  the  history  of  the 
jii.tion,  in  forming  the  Republican  party  and 
rose  to  an  eminence  which  was  a  natural 
sequence  of  his  noble  life  and  wonderful  tal- 
ents. 

Henry  Stewart  Swayne,  son  of  the  em- 
inent jurist,  spent  his  youth  in  Columbus, 
Ohio,  and  completed  his  education  within 
the  classic  walls  of  Yale,  where  he  was 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  A.  B.  He 
afterward  studied  civil  engineering  and  was 
employed  along  that  line  on  the  construc- 
tion of  a  railroad  in  Wisconsin.  After  per- 
fecting himself  as  a  civil  engineer,  he 
turned  his  attention  in  another  direction, 
being  for  some  years  engaged  in  business 
in  Toledo,  Ohio,  as  proprietor  of  an  ex- 
tensive moulding  factory.  In  his  business 
he  displayed  marked  energy,  concentration 
and  sound  judgment,  but  he  was  endowed 
with  the  mind  of  a  student  and  eagerly 
availed  himself  of  the  opportunity  of  de- 
voting his  entire  attention  to  his  scientific 
researches.  When  his  capital  enabled  him 
to  retire  from  business  life  he  put  aside  all 
care  in  that  direction,  and  after  coming  to 


144 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Bloomington  in  1885  lived  practically  re- 
tired. 

Even  while  in  business  Mr.  Swayne 
was  deeply  interested  in  scientific  subjects 
and  gave  considerable  time  and  thought 
thereto.  After  taking  up  his  residence  in 
this  county  he  spent  many  hours  daily  in 
pursuing  his  investigations  in  paths  that 
others  had  trod  and  along  new  and  original 
lines.  He  made  a  specialty  of  chemistry 
and  fitted  up  a  splendid  laboratory  in  con- 
nection with  which  he  had  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  complete  scientific  libra- 
ries in  the  state.  He  inherited  the  strong 
mental  traits  of  his  father,  although  they 
were  manifest  in  a  different  department  of 
knowledge.  His  mind  was  keenly  analyt- 
ical and  he  was  never  content  until  he 
had  gained  the  mastery  of  the  subject  that 
engrossed  his  attention.  His  interest,  how- 
ever, was  not  confined  alone  to  scientific 
study.  He  endorsed  and  encouraged  every 
department  of  learning,  and  music  had  for 
him  especial  charms. 

On  the  second  of  December,  1875,  Mr. 
Swayne  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Sarah  W.  Davis,  a  lady  of  superior  culture 
and  the  daughter  of  Judge  David  Davis, 
whose  history  is  familiar  to  every  student 
of  the  annals  of  Illinois.  In  his  home  he 
delighted  to  gather  around  him  his  friends, 
and  though  their  number  was  not  ex- 
tensive they  found  him  a  most  genial  and 
entertaining  host,  and  friendship  to  him  was 
inviolable.  At  length  his  health  began  to 
fail,  and  he  went  abroad  spending  a  year 
and  a  half  in  travel  on  the  continent,  but  a 
few  months  after  his  return  his  death  oc- 
curred, Novembers,  1893. 

Perhaps  no  better  estimate  of  his  life 
and  character  can  be  given  than  in  the 
words  of  Professor  R.  O.  Graham,  dean  and 


professor  of  chemistry  in  the  Illinois  Wes- 
leyan  University,  who  was  his  intimate 
friend  and  associate  and  with  whom  he 
spent  many  hours  each  week  in  his  fine  lab- 
oratory in  the  Durley  building.  Blooming- 
ton,  engaged  in  scientific  work.  The  Pro- 
fessor said:  "During  his  entire  life  in 
Bloomington  Mr.  Swayne  had  but  few  inti- 
mate acquaintances.  Naturally  reserved  in 
disposition,  he  was  not  well  known  by  the 
citizens  generally.  To  his  friends  he  was 
warmly  attached,  and  to  these  he  revealed 
his  warm-hearted  generous  nature.  He 
was  constantly  engaged  in  acts  of  quiet 
charity,  known  only  to  the  recipients  and 
himself.  Many  of  the  poor  in  Blooming- 
ton sorely  mourned  his  untimely  death. 

Mr.  Swayne  was  among  the  organizers 
of  the  College  Alumni  Club,  which  has 
gained  so  strong  hold  in  the  city.  He  was 
enthusiastic  in  its  interests  and  was  made 
its  second  president.  Among  these  men  he 
was  at  his  best,  and  he  commanded  their 
highest  respect.  He  was  also  a  great  lover 
of  music  and  more  than  one  devoted  stu- 
dent in  this  line  is  indebted  to  him  for  aid 
given  in  pushing  forward  their  study.  He 
had  great  interest  in  natural  science  and  at 
the  time  of  his  death  had  planned  improve- 
ments on  a  large  scale  that  would  have 
made  him  the  possessor  of  one  of  the  most 
extensive  and  best  private  laboratories  and 
scientific  libraries  in  the  country. 

"When  he  felt  his  health  failing,  he 
spent  a  year  in  Europe,  consulting  the  best 
physicians  there.  On  returning  to  Bloom- 
ington he  again  took  up  his  scientific  studies. 
It  was  but  a  few  months,  however,  until  his 
labors  were  ended.  Leaving  the  laborato- 
ry one  evening  with  plans  for  a  full  day's 
work  there  on  the  morrow,  he  was  taken 
violently  ill  and  lived  but  a  few  days.      His 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


145 


unexpected  death  brought  great  sorrow  to 
those  who  knew  him  best,  to  whom  his  gen- 
erous and  unselfish  character  had  greatly 
endeared  him."  Thus  passed  away  one 
whose  life,  though  quiet  and  unostentatious, 
enriched  the  world,  and  whose  memory  re- 
mains as  a  blessed  benediction  to  those  who 
knew  him. 


WILLIAM  LEAF,  a  wealthy  and  re- 
tired farmer,  residing  in  the  city  of 
Normal,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsyl- 
vania, September  i,  1823,  and  is  the  son 
of  Edward  and  Ann  (Waterworth)  Leaf, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  England,  who 
emigrated  to  this  country  in  18 18.  Edward 
Leaf  was  a  soldier  in  the  English  army,  be- 
ing drafted  about  the  close  of  the  war  of 
18 12.  He  did  not,  however,  serve  in  that 
war,  and  therefore  came  to  this  country  as 
a  man  of  peace,  and  made  a  good  and  loyal 
citizen.  On  his  arrival  here  he  located  with 
his  family  at  Philadelphia  and  there  re- 
mained a  few  years,  after  which  he  removed 
to  Canada,  but  not  finding  that  country 
congenial  to  him,  he  returned  to  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  lived  until  about  1840,  when 
he  removed  to  Steubenville,  Ohio,  but  only 
remained  there  a  very  short  time,  and  then 
removed  to  Sharp's  Landing,  Fulton  coun- 
ty, Illinois.  Here  he  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  timber  land  (the 
prairie  at  that  time  being  considered  worth- 
less) and  settled  down  to  farming.  The 
land  was  cleared  and  otherwise  improved, 
and  placed  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
As  time  passed,  and  men  became  more 
familiar  with  prairie  land,  they  became 
aware  of  its  fertility.  This  proved  to  be 
the  case  with  Edward  Leaf.  Selling  his 
Fulton   county   farm,  he   moved   to   Mason 


county,  Illinois,  and  purchased  three  quar- 
ter-sections of  prairie  land,  and  each  son 
was  given  a  quarter  section.  Here  Edward 
and  Ann  Leaf  passed  to  their  reward,  the 
former  in  i86g,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven 
years,  and  the  latter  in  1865,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-three  years.  They  were  pious,  upright 
people,  honest  in  their  dealings  with  their 
fellow  men,  being  members  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  church,  and  living  in  strict  ac- 
cordance with  the  teachings  and  doctrines 
of  that  church.  Their  family  consisted  of 
six  children,  four  of  whom  are  yet  living. 

William  Leaf  was  the  fourth  child  in 
order  of  birth.  He  accompanied  his  parents 
in  their  various  removals,  and  in  conse- 
quence his  opportunity  for  securing  a  liberal 
education  was  not  of  the  best,  but  he  made 
the  best  use  of  the  opportunities  given 
him.  He  came  to  Illinois  a  youth  of  sev- 
enteen years,  and  assisted  his  father  in 
clearing  his  Fulton  county  farm,  and  soon 
after  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Mason 
county,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years, 
he  commenced  life  for  himself  on  one  of 
the  quarter-sections  purchased  by  his  fa- 
ther, and  which  was  deeded  to  him.  With 
characteristic  industry,  he  proceeded  to  im- 
prove his  tract,  engaging  in  general  farm- 
ing. He  was  prosperous  in  all  his  under- 
takings, and  was  soon  brought  into  some 
prominence  in  the  county  which  had  been 
chosen  as  his  home.  In  1848  he  was  com- 
missioned by  Governor  French  as  captain 
of  a  company  of  the  Ninth  Illinois  Militia, 
for  service  in  the  war  with  Mexico.  Hos- 
tilities ceasing  soon  after  he  was  commis- 
sioned, he  did  not  enter  the  field.     ^ 

After  more  than  thirty  years  of  laborious 
work  upon  the  farm,  in  1876  Mr.  Leaf  sold 
his  interests  in  Mason  county  and  came  to 
McLean  county,  making  his  home  in  Nor- 


146 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


mal.  After  his  removal  to  the  county  he 
purchased  here  three  farms,  one  containing 
two  hundred  and  eighty-four  acres,  one  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  the  third 
one  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  to- 
gether with  his  home  in  Normal.  He  also 
owns  a  half-section  of  land  in  Kansas. 

On  the  27th  of  August,  1846,  Mr.  Leaf 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  E. 
Couchman,  a  native  of  Nicholas  county, 
Kentucky,  born  September  24,  1824,  and 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Ruth  Couchman. 
By  this  union  six  children  were  born,  five  of 
whom  are  yet  living:  Edward  L.,  Adelia, 
Ellen,  Seabery  F.  and  Amos.  Of  these, 
Edward  is  engaged  in  farming  in  McLean 
county  and  Seabery  F.  is  a  professor  at 
Lebanon,  Kansas. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leaf  were  consistent  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  until 
1868,  when  Mr.  Leaf's  mind  underwent  a 
change.  A  traveling  preacher  came  into 
his  neighborhood  teaching  the  people  that 
Jesus  Christ  should  come  again  as  he  went, 
and  again  dwell  on  the  earth.  This  doctrine 
he  believed  to  be  in  accordance  with  the 
teachings  of  the  Savior,  and  he  there- 
fore gave  heed  to  the  teachings  and  has 
been  since  that  time  an  earnest  and  enthu- 
siastic advocate  of  the  doctrine.  In  1879 
he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  of  the  First 
Day  Adventist  church,  and  its  doctrine  he 
faithfully  observes  and  teaches  in  Bloom- 
ington  and  surrounding  country.  Politic- 
ally, he  is  a  Prohibitionist. 

This  worthy  couple  have  lived  in  peace 
and  harmony,  enjoying  the  good  things  a 
bountiful  Father  has  given  them,  for  more 
than  fifty  years.  On  the  27th  of  August, 
1 896,  they  celebrated  the  fiftieth  anniversary 
of  their  wedded  life,  surrounded  by  children 
and  grandchildren,  together  with  a  host  of 


friends,  who  vied  with  each  other  in  atten- 
tion shown  to  those  they  loved  and  re- 
spected, and  wishing  them  a  continuance  of 
their  happy  life. 


JOHN  T.  HENDERSON,  manager  of 
kJ  the  Grand  Opera  House  of  Blooming- 
ton  and  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of 
that  city,  was  born  near  Eau  Claire,  Wis- 
consin, November  11,  i860.  His  parents, 
Matthew  and  Mary  (Edington)  Henderson, 
were  both  natives  of  Scotland,  born  and 
reared  near  Edinburg.  There  the  father 
studied  veterinary  surgery  and  successfully 
engaged  in  practice  in  that  city  until  his  emi- 
gration to  America  about  1850.  He  first 
located  near  Eau  Claire,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  took  up  government  land,  and  in  con- 
nection with  the  work  of  improvement  and 
cultivation,  he  continued  to  engage  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  Shortly  after 
the  birth  of  our  subject  the  family  came  to 
Bloomington,  where  the  father  engaged  in 
practice  until  called  from  this  life  in  1S65. 
The  wife  and  mother  passed  away  April  10, 
1882.  They  were  consistent  members  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  church,  and  had  the 
respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  them. 
They  left  four  children;  namely:  Bettie, 
now  the  wife  of  P.  R.  Griffith,  of  Blooming- 
ton  ;  William  E. ,  now  deceased ;  Thomas  E. , 
also  a  resident  of  Bloomington ;  and  John  T. , 
our  subject. 

John  T.  Henderson  attended  the  public 
schools  and  later  the  high  school  of  Bloom- 
ington, where  he  was  graduated  in  1883. 
After  that  he  became  connected  with  the 
insurance  business  as  a  clerk,  but  soon  em- 
barked in  the  same  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count and  was  not  long  in  building  up  an 
excellent  trade.      He  also  organized  and  put 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


147 


in  successful  operation  the  Blooniington  Fire 
Insurance  Company  and  later  sold  out  to 
Chicago  parties.  He  sold  his  other  insur- 
ance business  after  it  had  assumed  extensive 
proportions.  In  the  meantime  he  had  be- 
come interested  in  real  estate  in  the  city, 
and  after  selling  his  other  business  he  took 
the  management  of  the  Grand  Opera  House, 
February  i,  1897,  also  acting  as  lessee  of 
the  same.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  equipped 
opera  houses  of  central  Illinois  and  the 
building  alone  cost  forty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars. Mr.  Henderson  has  met  with  most 
excellent  success  in  its  management,  al- 
though opera  houses  in  other  cities  have 
not  paid,  but  he  devotes  the  greater  part  of 
his  time  to  its  business  with  most  gratifying 
success  and  is  decidedly  the  right  man  in 
the  right  place.  He  is  proprietor  of  the 
Bloomington  Bill  Posting  Company,  which 
gives  employment  to  three  men  and  has  en- 
tire control  of  all  the  bill  boards  in  the  city 
of  Normal,  having  over  five  thousand  feet 
of  signs,  a  much  larger  space  than  most 
towns  of  the  size.  These  are  kept  full  of 
other  advertisements  while  not  used  for  the 
opera  house,  and  the  business  has  proved 
quite  profitable.  In  business  affairs  Mr. 
Henderson  has  displayed  remarkable  ability 
and  sound  judgment  and  is  very  popular 
with  his  business  associates. 

Socially,  he  is  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Bloomington  Club,  of  which  he  has 
been  a  director  for  two  years;  he  was  also 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Keystone  Club, 
and  has  served  as  chairman  of  the  board  of 
directors  since  its  incorporation  eight  years 
ago;  and  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Bloom- 
ington Golf  Club,  as  he  is  a  lover  of  athlet- 
ics. He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
fraternity,  and  attends  and  supports  the 
First  Congregational  church.      Whether  in 


public  or  private  life,  he  is  always  a  court- 
eous, genial  gentleman,  well  deserving  the 
high  regard  in  which  he  is  universally  held. 


SAMUEL  C.  KIRKPATRICK,  who  is 
living  on  his  fine  farm  on  section  30, 
Normal  township,  about  one-half  mile  from 
the  corporate  limits  of  the  city  of  Normal, 
was  born  in  Woodford  county,  Illinois, 
June  26,  1850,  and  is  the  son  of  Samuel 
and  Anna  (Hougham)  Kirkpatrick,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Virginia,  born  in  1806,  who 
in  early  childhood  moved  with  his  parents, 
Thomas  and  Betsy  Kirkpatrick,  to  Adams 
county,  Ohio.  Soon  after  their  arrival 
there  his  parents  died,  and  he  was  left  an 
orphan  at  a  very  tender  age.  In  that 
county  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  in  his 
youth  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  which 
he  continued  to  follow  as  long  as  he  re- 
mained in  Ohio.  In  1833  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois and  located  in  Woodford  county, 
where  he  entered  some  three  hundred  or 
four  hundred  acres  of  land,  which  was  in 
its  wild  state.  On  that  land  he  erected  his 
dwelling  house,  and  also  built  a  blacksmith 
shop,  continuing  to  work  at  his  trade,  in 
connection  with  farming,  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  even  up  to  the  time  of  his  death 
did  all  his  own  work  in  that  line. 

Before  leaving  Ohio,  in  1831,  Samuel 
Kirkpatrick  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Anna  Hougham,  daughter  of  Runyan  (who 
died  September  4,  1833,  aged  fifty-three)  and 
Sarah  Hougham  (who  died  October,  1844, 
aged  sixty  years)  who  were  of  German  origin. 
By  this  union  seven  children  were  born,  six 
of  whom  grew  to  maturity  and  are  yet  liv- 
ing. Sarah  died  in  early  childhood.  Mar- 
garet married  Albert  Campbell  and  is  now 
living  in  Normal.      Melissa  J.  is  the  wife  of 


148 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Joseph  H.  Sharp,  and  they  are  living  in 
Hudson  township.  Thomas  W.  married 
Amanda  McKee,  and  is  now  living  in  Ne- 
braska. Elizabeth  Ann  married  Robert 
Benson,  and  they  reside  in  Bloomington. 
Lemon  H.  married  Margaret  Kane,  and 
they  reside  in  White  Oak  township.  Samuel 
C.  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Both 
parents  are  now  deceased,  the  mother  dying 
in  1 87 1  and  the  father  in  1873.  In  politics 
he  was  a  Republican,  and  was  honored  by 
his  friends  and  neighbors  with  various  offi- 
cial positions.  He  was  supervisor  for  a 
number  of  terms,  and  also  served  as  justice 
of  the  peace  for  years.  In  addition  to 
those  positions,  he  served  as  assessor,  col- 
lector, school  director  and  school  trustee. 
In  his  business  life  he  was  quite  successful, 
and  while  starting  in  life  a  poor  boy,  he 
succeeded  in  accumulating  a  handsome 
property. 

In  his  native  country  our  subject  grew 
to  manhood,  and  in  the  district  schools  re- 
ceived his  education.  He  remained  at  home 
and  assisted  in  the  farm  work  until  after  he 
attained  his  majority.  On  the  23rd  of  No- 
vember, 1 87 1,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Amanda  Johnston,  who  was  born 
in  Danvers  township,  McLean  county,  April 
12,  1851,  and  the  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Rebecca  Ann  (Stevenson)  Johnston,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  New  Jersey,  born  July  3, 
1 814,  and  the  latter  of  Green  county,  Ohio, 
born  November  21,  18 13.  From  his  New 
Jersey  home,  a  boy  of  seven  years,  Charles 
Johnston  was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Green 
county,  Ohio,  and  a  short  time  after  their 
arrival  there  the  mother  died,  and  two 
weeks  later  the  father  also  passed  away. 
In  that  country  he  grew  to  manhood,  and 
was  reared  to  the  life  of  a  farmer.  His 
marriage  with  Rebecca  Ann  Stevenson  was 


there  celebrated,  and  about  1847  they  came 
to  McLean  county,  and  locating  in  Danvers 
township,  he  there  took  up  a  tract  of  land, 
and  also  purchased  another  tract.  In  due 
time  he  became  a  large  land  owner  in  the 
county.  In  1858  he  removed  from  Danvers 
to  White  Oak  township,  where  he  purchased 
a  large  farm  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  His  death  occurred  March  19,  1890, 
his  wife  preceding  him  some  two  years, 
having  died  January  i,  1888.  They  were 
the  parents  of  eleven  children,  nine  of  them 
grew  to  maturity.  James  S.  married  Mary 
J.  Kane,  and  they  reside  in  Normal.  Mary 
Ann  married  Charles  Barnes,  but  is  now 
deceased.  John  S.  married  Martha  Havens, 
who  is  now  deceased.  He  is  now  living  in 
Hudson,  Illinois.  Martha  J.  is  the  wife  of 
J.  W.  Baldridge,  and  they  reside  in  Texas. 
Joseph  H.  married  Cora  Nevious,  and  they 
reside  near  Webster  City,  Iowa.  Catherine 
is  the  wife  of  Henry  Wright,  and  they  re- 
side in  Oklahoma.  Rebecca  I.  married  John 
A.  Benson,  and  they  are  living  in  Blue 
Mound,  Kansas.  Amanda  is  the  wife  of  our 
subject.  Sarah  married  Alonzo  McKinney, 
and  they  are  living  in  White  Oak  township. 
After  his  marrage,  Mr.  Kirkpatrick  took 
his  bride  to  the  home  of  his  father,  with 
whom  they  lived  until  the  father's  death, 
after  which  they  remained  on  the  old  home 
place  for  nine  years,  and  in  1882  moved  to 
White  Oak  township,  locating  on  the  John- 
ston homestead,  which  comprised  three 
hundred  and  seventy  acres,  which  he  had 
previously  purchased,  and  there  resided  un- 
til February,  1893,  when  he  purchased  the 
farm  on  which  he  now  resides  in  Normal 
township,  comprising  one  hundred  and 
thirty-one  acres  of  excellent  land.  He  re- 
moved to  this  place  in  order  that  he  might 
give  his  children  the  benefit  of  an  education 


i 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


149 


in  the  Normal  University.  His  family  con- 
sists of  three  children.  Valeria  Belle  is 
now  the  wife  of  Jesse  H.  Riley,  and  they 
have  had  two  children,  but  both  are  now 
deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Riley  make  their 
home  in  White  Oak  township.  Gertrude 
Ann  is  the  wife  of  Charles  E.  Otto,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Cleda  Marie.  They  make 
their  home  in  Normal  township.  Samuel 
C. ,  the  only  son,  is  now  a  student  in  Nor- 
mal University,  which  institution  both 
daughters  also  attended. 

Mr.  Kirkpatrick  has  the  reputation  of 
being  one  of  the  best  farmers  in  McLean 
county,  and  has  made  a  specialty  of  stock 
raising,  feeding  all  the  grain  that  he  raises, 
and  even  purchasing  from  others.  He  us- 
ually has  on  his  place  about  seventy-five  to 
one  hundred  head  of  cattle  and  two  hundred 
head  of  hogs,  which  he  prepares  for  the 
market.  He  has  also  given  considerable 
attention  to  the  raising  of  Norman  draft 
horses,  and  has  raised  some  splendid  ani- 
mals, selling  some  as  high  as  five  hundred 
dollars  each. 

Politically  Mr.  Kirkpatrick  is  a  stanch 
Republican,  with  which  party  he  has  acted 
since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
U.  S.  Grant,  in  1872.  While  residing  in 
Woodford  county,  he  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace,  school  director  and  school  trustee, 
and  since  residing  in  McLean  county  has 
been  school  director  and  road  commissioner. 
He  is  a  thoroughly  enterprising  citizen,  one 
willing  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  advance  the 
material  interest  of  the  section  in  which  he 
makes  his  home. 


ISAAC  J.   MITHELL,   one   of    the    pros- 
perous and  enterprising  agriculturists  of 
McLean  county,  is  the  owner  of  a  valuable 


farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Dale 
township,  which  township  is  also  the  place 
of  his  nativity.  He  was  born  December  2 1 , 
1861,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Lottie  (Eng- 
lish) Mitchell.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  when  a  young  man  came  to  this 
county  with  his  father,  Isaac  Mitchell,  Sr., 
who  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Dale 
township.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was 
born  in  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
the  daughter  of  John  English,  who  also 
came  to  this  locality  at  an  early  day  aud 
resided  for  many  years  in  Dale  township. 

In  the  public  schools  of  the  neighbor- 
hood Isaac  J.  Mitchell  acquired  a  good 
practical  English  education,  and  also  early 
became  familiar  with  all  the  duties  and 
labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agricultur- 
ist. He  assisted  his  father  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  home  farm  until  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  and  the  following  year  en- 
tered upon  an  independent  business  career. 
He  was  then  married  and  for  a  year  rented 
and  operated  a  farm  belonging  to  Charles 
Schneider,  of  Bloomington  township,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  made  his  home  with  his 
grandmother,  Mrs.  English.  Subsequently 
he  removed  to  his  present  home,  renting 
the  land  for  six  years.  During  that  time 
he  engaged  in  threshing  quite  extensively 
and  in  that  way  combined  with  his  farming 
operations,  he  became  enabled  to  purchase 
eighty  acres  of  land  on  section  20,  Dale 
township.  He  has  since  successfully  car- 
ried on  general  farming,  and  has  extended 
the  boundaries  of  his  place  by  the  addi- 
tional purchase  of  eighty  acres,  and  from 
his  wife's  father  they  received  another 
eighty-acre  tract,  thus  making  their  farm  a 
valuable  property  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres.  The  greater  part  of  this  is  now 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.     A  hand- 


150 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


some  country  residence  is  supplemented  by 
good  barns  and  substantial  outbuildings, 
and  these  stand  in  the  midst  of  well-tilled 
fields  which  yield  a  golden  tribute  in  return 
for  the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon  them 
by  the  owner,  who  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  most  enterprising,  progressive  and  prac- 
tical farmers  of  the  neighborhood. 

On  the  23d  of  August,  1886,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Mitchell  and 
Miss  Nettie  Rogers,  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
Rogers,  one  of  the  early  settlers  and  well- 
known  farmers  of  Dale  township.  They 
now  have  three  children,  Maude,  Bliss  and 
Fairy,  and  have  lost  one  daughter,  May, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Mitchell  enjoy  the  warm  regard 
of  many  friends,  and  are  widely  known  in 
this  locality,  where  their  entire  lives  have 
been  passed.  They  hold  membership  in 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which 
he  is  serving  as  steward  and  as  assistant 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school,  being 
one  of  the  active  workers  in  the  interest  of 
the  church.  He  has  always  given  his  polit- 
ical support  to  the  Republican  party  until 
the  present  year,  when  he  transferred  his 
allegiance  to  the  Prohibition  party.  He 
has  served  as  township  clerk  for  eight 
years  and  tax  collector  for  four  yeas,  dis- 
charging his  duties  in  a  most  prompt  and 
•able  manner.  His  name  is  on  the  member- 
ship rolls  of  Stanford  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  P., 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  the 
Court  of  Honor  and  the  Pioneer  Reserve 
Society,  and  by  his  brethren  of  those  orders 
is  held  in  high  regard  as  a  worthy  repre- 
sentative of  the  benevolent  and  commenda- 
ble principles  which  underlie  the  organiza- 
tions. He  enjoys  a  most  enviable  reputa- 
tion as  an  honorable  business  man,  and  his 
prosperity  is  well  merited. 


HENRY  CAPEN.  Honored  and  re- 
spected by  all,  there  is  no  man  in 
Bloomington  who  occupies  a  more  enviable 
position  in  business  and  financial  circles 
than  Henry  Capen,  not  alone  on  account  of 
the  brilliant  success  he  has  achieved,  but 
also  on  account  of  the  honorable,  straight- 
forward business  policy  he  has  ever  followed. 
He  possesses  untiring  energy,  is  quick  of 
perception,  forms  his  plans  readily  and  is 
determined  in  their  execution;  and  his  close 
application  to  business  and  excellent  man- 
agement have  brought  to  him  the  prosperity 
which  is  to-day  his. 

Mr.  Capen  was  born  in  Seneca  Falls, 
Seneca  county,  New  York,  January  29, 
1832,  a  son  of  Luman  W.  and  Sybil  (Hos- 
kins)  Capen,  who  are  represented  elsewhere 
in  this  volume.  The  mother  died  when  he 
was  only  ten  years  old,  leaving  two  children, 
but  his  sister  died  young.  He  commenced 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Cayu- 
ga county.  New  York,  whither  the  family 
removed  when  he  was  six  months  old,  and 
later  he  attended  the  seminary  at  Ithaca 
and  a  select  school  at  home,  completing  his 
literary  training  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 
He  obtained  his  first  knowledge  of  business 
and  business  methods  in  his  father's  country 
store  at  Union  Springs,  in  Cayuga  county, 
where  business  was  carried  on  for  twenty- 
five  years  under  the  firm  name  of  Hoskins 
&  Capen,  the  senior  member  being  Laban 
Hoskins,  a  maternal  uncle  of  our  subject. 
In  1856  he  accompanied  his  father  on  his 
removal  to  McLean  county,  Illinois.  Henry 
Capen  came  into  Bloomington,  where  our 
subject  was  employed  one  year  as  a  clerk 
by  R.  R.  Landon,  the  largest  dry-goods 
merchant  in  the  city.  He  and  his  father 
then  formed  a  partnership  and  embarked  in 
the  crockery,  glassware  and  china  business. 


I 


HENRY   CAPEN. 


THL"  N:.  /  YORK 
PUBLIC  LiBriARY 


ASTOR,  LENOX 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


153 


theirs  being  the  first  store  of  the  kind  in 
the  city.  The  only  building  they  could  pro- 
cure was  a  little  carpenter  shop  on  the  east 
side  of  the  square,  a  building  that  was  sim- 
ply boarded  up.  That  winter  they  suffered 
much  from  the  cold,  but  in  the  spring  were 
able  to  rent  a  better  store  room  on  the  south 
side  of  the  square.  Their  trade  rapidly  in- 
creased until  it  assumed  extensive  propor- 
tions, and  in  the  meantime  they  opened  a 
branch  store  at  Decatur,  of  which  our  sub- 
ject took  charge  in  i860.  He  remained 
there  for  eight  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  the  business  was  sold.  In  1869  the 
store  in  Bloomington  was  also  sold,  and 
father  and  son  purchased  almost  a  half  in-, 
terest  in  the  Phoenix  Savings,  Loan  &  Trust 
Company  Bank,  of  which  the  former  became 
cashier  and  the  latter  assistant  cashier. 
This  was  one  of  the  early  savings  banks  of 
central  Illinois  and  they  continued  their 
connection  with  it  for  seven  years,  selling 
their  interests  at  the  end  of  that  time  to 
Corydon  Weed,  after  which  the  father  lived 
retired.  Our  subject,  however,  opened  an 
office  of  his  own  and  embarked  in  business 
as  a  loan  and  investment  broker.  He  still 
carries  on  operations  along  that  line,  as  the 
business  has  constantly  increased  until  five 
persons  are  now  required  to  attend  to  the 
same.  He  deals  principally  in  farm  mort- 
gages and  has  handled  millions  of  dollars 
worth  of  loans  without  losing  a  dollar  of 
principal  of  any  customer.  He  gave  his 
eldest  son,  Frank,  an  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness in  1890,  and  his  son  Fred  B.  also  an 
interest  in  1896,  the  firm  being  now  known 
as  H.  Capen  &  Sons.  Mr.  Capen  is  also  a 
stockholder,  director  and  secretary  of  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  Peoples  Bank;  a 
stockholder  and  director  of  the  Co-operative 
Stove    Company,    a    very   successful    enter- 


prise; and  was  one  of  the  original  stock- 
holders and  directors  of  the  Citizens  Gas 
Light  &  Heating  Company.  He  is  one  of 
the  most  progressive,  energetic  and  reliable 
business  men  of  the  city,  and  the  success 
that  he  has  achieved  in  life  is  certainly 
justly  merited. 

On  the  20th  of  April,  1858,  Mr.  Capen 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Henrietta 
P.  Clark,  of  Bloomington,  where  she  located 
in  1856.  Her  father  was  Rev.  Luther 
Clark,  a  Presbyterian  minister  of  Dryden, 
Tompkins  county.  New  York,  and  her  grand- 
father was  Rev.  John  Clark,  also  a  minister 
of  that  denomination.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Capen  haV^e  been  born  two  sons,  Frank  C. 
and  Fred  B.  Frank  C.  married  May  John- 
son— they  have  one  daughter,  Helen.  Fred 
B.  married  Eda  Maier.  Both  sons  are  res- 
idents of  Bloomington.  For  thirty-three 
years  they  have  resided  at  No.  501  West 
Locust  street,  where  they  have  a  beautiful 
and  commodious  home,  surrounded  by  a 
very  large  and  lovely  lawn,  and  here  their 
many  friends  are  always  sure  of  a  hearty 
welcome.  They  have  been  life-long  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  were 
among  the  first  to  unite  with  the  congrega- 
tion with  which  they  are  now  connected. 
While  a  resident  of  Decatur,  he  served  as 
deacon,  trustee  and  treasurer  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  at  that  time,  and  has  been 
trustee  of  the  church  in  Bloomington  for 
nearly  thirty  years  and  usher  for  about  the 
same  length  of  time;  also  treasurer  for 
twenty-one  years,  having  succeeded  his  fa- 
ther, who  occupied  the  same  position  for 
fifteen  years.  During  the  erection  of  their 
elegant  new  house  of  worship,  which  was 
built  at  a  cost  of  sixty-five  thousand  dollars, 
he  was  a  member  of  the  building  committee 
and  treasurer  of  the  building  fund.      With 


154 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


two  or  three  others  he  superintended  the 
building  himself  and  worked  untiringly  for 
its  completion.  It  is  justly  considered  one 
of  the  finest  churches  in  central  Illinois, 
being  complete  in  all  its  appointments,  and 
much  of  the  credit  of  this  is  due  to  Mr. 
Capen's  unselfish  devotion  to  the  work.  As 
a  citizen  he  meets  every  requirement  and 
manifests  a  commendable  interest  in  every- 
thing calculated  to  promote  the  city's  wel- 
fare. In  private  life  he  is  sympathetic  and 
generous,  extending  a  helping  hand  to  the 
poor  and  needy  and  always  ready  to  aid 
those  less  fortunate  than  himself.  In  man- 
ner he  is  pleasant,  and  all  who  know  him 
esteem  him  highly  for  his  genuine  worth. 


JOSEPH  J.  THOMPSON  is  one  of  the 
prominent  young  attorneys  and  busi- 
ness men  of  Bloomington.  He  is  a  native 
of  Warren  county,  Illinois,  born  January 
14,  1868,  near  the  village  of  Kirkwood, 
then  known  as  Young  America.  His  father, 
John  W.  Thompson,  was  born  near  Carrick- 
on-the-Shannon,  County  Roscommon,  Ire- 
land, and  emigrated  to  America  when  eight- 
een years  of  age.  As  a  farmer  boy  he  be- 
gan life  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  work- 
ing for  a  few  years  for  Mr.  Goldsmith,  of 
Orange  county,  New  York,  the  owner  of 
the  celebrated  trotting  horse.  Goldsmith 
Maid.  While  there  he  married  Miss  Hannah 
Crofton,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  soon  after- 
ward came  west,  settling  near  Alexis,  War- 
ren county,  Illinois,  where  he  bought  a 
small  farm.  After  living  there  for  about 
eight  years  he  purchased  a  larger  place  near 
Young  America,  in  the  same  county,  to  the 
cultivation  of  which  he  devoted  his  energies 
for  nine  years  with  most  gratifying  success. 
His   ne.xt   farm  was   near  Alexis,  where   he 


owned  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  valu- 
able land.  The  success  that  he  achieved  in 
life  was  due  entirely  to  his  own  well-directed 
efforts,  and  he  was  able  to  leave  his  family 
well  provided  for,  having  accumulated  a 
handsome  competence.  He  died  in  1894, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-three  years,  and  his  wife 
in  1896,  leaving  a  family  of  ten  children. 

Joseph  J.  Thompson  began  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  near  Alexis,  later 
attended  the  high  school  of  Aledo,  Mercer 
county,  Illinois,  and  the  Northern  Illinois 
Normal  College  at  Dixon,  where  he  took 
the  literary  and  civil  engineering  courses 
and  was  graduated  in  1888  with  the  degree 
of  C.  E.  During  the  following  two  years 
he  engaged  in  teaching  school  near  Alexis, 
and  then  read  law  in  the  offices  of  Matthews 
&  Peacock,  of  Monmouth,  and  Benjamin  & 
Morrissy,  of  Bloomington,  having  come  to 
this  city  in  1889.  Subsequently  he  attended 
the  Wesleyan  Law  College,  where  he  was 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  LL.  B.,  in 
1891,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  June 
of  the  same  year.  Immediately  afterward 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  D.  D.  Dona- 
hue, and  under  the  name  of  Thompson  & 
Donahue  they  engaged  in  general  practice 
till  January  i,  1899,  when  that  firm  was 
dissolved.  He  has  been  connected  with 
some  of  the  most  important  cases  tried  in 
the  city  and  enjoys  an  excellent  practice. 
Mr.  Thompson  has  also  been  considerably 
interested  in  real  estate  in  the  city,  and  has 
bought  and  sold  a  number  of  places  to  a 
good  advantage.  He  bought  the  Park  prop- 
erty, which  was  a  brick  house  and  an  old 
landmark  on  the  corner  of  West  and  Chest- 
nut streets.  Work  was  commenced  on  the 
place  in  June,  1897,  and  by  June  of  the 
following  year  the  old  house  had  been  torn 
down    and    three    handsome    modern   two- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


155 


story  residences  erected  on  the  large  lot,  at 
a  cost  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  This  is 
one  of  the  most  notable  improvements  in 
the  city  in  recent  years.  His  own  beauti- 
ful home  is  at  the  corner  of  the  streets. 
For  some  time  he  has  been  agitating  pub- 
lic improvements  for  that  part  of  the  city, 
and  has  been  instrumental  in  having  the 
ordinance  passed  for  laying  sewers  and  pav- 
ing that  district.  He  is  also  interested  in 
other  city  real  estate  and  in  farming  lands 
in  this  county  and  in  Indiana,  and  has  been 
quite  successful  in  his  real-estate  opera- 
tions. 

On  the  6th  of  November,  1889,  Mr. 
Thompson  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Julia  E.  McNamara,  of  Alexis,  Illinois, 
a  daughter  of  Bartholomew  McNamara,  a 
farmer  by  occupation.  They  now  have 
two  children:  Aurelia  M.  and  Hannah  L. 
They  are  members  of  Holy  Trinity  Catholic 
church,  and  his  parents  were  members 
of  the  same  denomination,  being  con- 
nected with  St.  Theresa'  church  at 
Alexis,  Illinois.  Our  subject  is  an  active 
member  of  the  Democratic  party,  has 
served  as  secretary  of  the  county  cen- 
tral committee  and  the  city  committee,  and 
has  been  a  delegate  to  all  of  the  conventions 
of  his  party  up  to  the  state  convention.  In 
1896  he  received  the  nomination  of  his 
party  for  state's  attorney,  and  although  de- 
feated, ran  two  hundred  votes  ahead  of  his 
ticket,  a  fact  which  plainly  indicates  his 
popularity  and  the  high  regard  in  which  he 
is  uniformly  held. 

On  January  i,  1899,  Mr.  Thompson 
dissolved  partnership  with  Mr.  Donahue 
and  purchased  the  Bloomington  Sunday 
Eye  and  Saturday  Truth.  In  addition  to 
these  papers  he  has  started  a  Saturday 
evening  paper,  called  the  Saturday  Evening 


Optic,  being  the  only  penny  paper  pub- 
lished in  the  county.  Besides  publishing 
his  papers  he  devotes  considerable  time  to 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  is  pos- 
sessed of  the  elements  of  a  successful  busi- 
ness man. 


JESSE  E.  BARCLAY.— More  than  a 
third  of  a  century  has  passed  since 
Jesse  E.  Barclay  became  a  resident  of  Mc- 
Lean county,  and  for  many  years  he  has 
been  known  as  one  ot  the  most  progressive, 
enterprising  and  practical  farmers  of  Dale 
township.  The  success  that  he  has  achieved 
in  life  is  due  entirely  to  his  own  efforts,  and 
his  excellent  property  is  a  monument  of  his 
diligence  and  business  ability. 

He  was  born  in  Madison  county,  Ken- 
tucky, January  4,  1850,  a  son  of  William 
F.  and  Mary  Jane  (Roberts)  Barclay.  The 
father  was  also  a  native  of  Madison  county, 
was  reared  to  farm  life  there  and  after  at- 
taining his  majority  married  Miss  Roberts, 
a  daughter  of  Jesse  Roberts,  one  of  the 
early  pioneers  of  that  locality.  Mr.  Bar- 
clay carried  on  farming  in  Kentucky,  but 
was  not  a  slave  owner.  In  1855  he  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  Boone  county, 
Missouri,  locating  near  Columbia,  where  he 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  until  1865. 
He  was  there  throughout  the  period  of  the 
Civil  war  and  both  sides  used  his  farm  as  a 
place  for  forage.  Our  subject  remembers 
seeing  seventy-five  of  General  Merrill's 
horses  fed  off  his  father's  oats.  In  1865 
the  family  came  to  Allen  township,  McLean 
county,  Illinois,  where  William  F.  Barclay 
parchased  a  farm  and  made  his  home  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  November, 
1895.  In  his  political  affiliations  he  was  a 
Democrat,    and   religiously  was  connected 


156 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


with  the  Christian  church,  of  which  his 
widow  is  also  a  member.  She  is  still  living 
on  the  old  homestead,  and  as  did  her  hus- 
band, shares  in  the  warm  regard  of  many 
friends. 

Jesse  E.  Barclay  obtained  his  prelimin- 
ary education  in  the  schools  of  Missouri, 
but  the  troublous  war  times  prevented  his 
consecutive  attendance  in  the  school  room. 
He  was  fifteen  years  of  age  when  he  came 
to  McLean  county  with  his  parents  and  here 
he  completed  a  good,  practical  education 
which  well  fitted  him  for  business  life.  He 
was  early  trained  to  habits  of  industry  and 
remained  upon  his  father's  farm  until 
twenty-seven  years  of  age,  when  he  rented 
land  near  by  and  carried  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits on  his  own  account.  In  1877  he  was 
married  and  soon  afterward  purchased  his 
present  farm,  comprising  one  hundred  sev- 
enteen and  a  half  acres  in  Dale  township. 
There  were  no  improvements  upon  the 
place  save  one  tree,  and  the  present  beau- 
tiful maple  grove  which  now  shades  the 
house  and  lawn  was  planted  by  Mrs.  Bar- 
clay. Mr.  Barclay  erected  a  commodi- 
ous and  substantial  residence,  good  barns 
and  all  the  necessary  outbuildings,  and  now 
has  one  of  the  valuable  farms  of  his  town- 
ship. In  addition  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
fields  he  is  also  engaged  in  stock  raising  and 
in  both  branches  of  his  business  is  meeting 
with  gratifying  success. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1877,  was 
celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Barclay  and 
Miss  Elizabeth  Moran,  daughter  of  John  H. 
and  Jemima  (Carson)  Moran,  the  former  a 
native  of  New  York  City,  and  the  latter  of 
Trenton,  New  Jersey.  Her  paternal  grand- 
father was  captain  of  a  vessel  and  was  lost 
at  sea.  Her  father  loyally  served  his  coun- 
try  in    the    Mexican   war,  and    in   order  to 


support  his  family  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits.  After  his  marriage  he  located  in 
Trenton,  New  Jersey,  where  he  made  his 
home  until  the  5th  of  March,  1857,  when 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  this  county,  living 
on  a  farm  in  McLean  township.  At  the  time 
of  the  civil  war  he  responded  to  the  Presi- 
dent's call  for  three-years'  troops.  After 
faithfully  serving  for  two  years  of  that  time 
he  was  one  day  detailed  to  act  as  guard  to 
some  prisoners  on  a  flat  car  and  was  shot 
by  a  bushwhacker,  the  ball  penetratiag  his 
right  lung,  passing  through  the  body  and 
breaking  his  right  arm.  On  account  of  the 
disability  thus  occasioned  he  was  honora- 
bly discharged,  but  recovered  from  his  in- 
juries and  lived  until  March,  1890,  his 
death  occurring  in  Quincy,  Illinois.  His 
wife  died  twenty-eight  years  ago.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barclay  have  been  born  three 
children:  Anna,  Henry  Otto  and  Howard 
Ellis.  The  elder  son  is  now  attending 
business  college  in  Bloomington;  Anna  is  a 
teacher,  and  in  the  winter  of  1899  taught  the 
Covell  school. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Barclay  is  a  Democrat, 
and  was  once  the  nominee  for  road  com- 
missioner, but  his  party  being  in  the  minor- 
ity he  was  defeated.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  consistent  members  of  the  Christian 
church  at  Stanford,  and  in  the  community 
where  they  have  so  long  resided  are  widely 
and  favorably  known. 


JOSEPH  B.  BARGER  is  a  young  man 
who  has  early  reached  a  position  of 
prominence  in  the  business  and  literary  cir- 
cles of  Normal.  He  is  the  proprietor  and 
manager  of  the  Morning  Call,  and  is  one  of 
Illinois'  native  sons,  having  been  born  in 
Shawneetown,   Gallatin  county,  November 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


157 


3,  1874.  He  is  the  eldest  son  of  Harrison 
C.  and  Mary  (Morse)  Barger,  the  latter  a 
native  of  Vermont,  and  the  former  of  Ken- 
tucky, who  came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents 
when  but  a  few  months  old,  and  was  a  con- 
tinuous resident  of  the  state  of  his  adoption, 
until  his  death  in  1880.  At  the  breaking 
out  of  the  civil  war,  in  1861,  he  enlisted  in 
Company  D,  Second  Illinois  Light  Artillery, 
known  as  Dresser's  Battery,  and  served 
throughout  the  war,  receiving  his  commis- 
sion as  second  lieutenant,  and  shortly  being 
promoted  to  the  first  lieutenancy.  He  was 
with  Sherman  on  his  march  to  the  sea,  and 
in  all  the  battles  of  the  western  army.  He 
continued  in  the  services  of  his  country  un- 
til the  close  of  the  war,  receiving  an  honor- 
able discharge.  He  was  at  one  time  asso- 
ciated with  a  partner  in  the  drug  and  book 
business  in  Shawneetown,  and  was  thus  en- 
gaged up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  The 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  Joseph  B.  Bar- 
ger, served  as  sheriff  of  Gallatin  county  for 
a  number  of  years,  and  was  appointed  post- 
master at  Shawneetown,  which  position  he 
held  for  some  years.  He  was  a  very  promi- 
nent figure  in  Gallatin  county,  during  his 
life-time,  and  was  county  clerk  for  twenty-six 
years,  his  son  Harrison  C.  acting  as  his  as- 
sistant a  portion  of  the  time.  Both  were 
connected  with  the  Masonic  Order.  In  re- 
ligious views  were  Methodists  in  faith  and 
practice.  The  father's  death  was  the  result 
of  an  injury  received  during  the  civil  war. 
His  wife  now  makes  her  home  in  Normal. 
The  family  consisted  of  four  children, 
namely:  Joseph  B,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  Thomas  M. ;  Helen  M. ;  and  Carter, 
deceased. 

Joseph  commenced  his  education  in 
Shawneetown,  completing  it  in  Normal, 
where  be  removed  in   1883.     His  first  busi- 


ness enterprise  was  in  the  office  of  the 
Morning  Call,  as  a  member  of  the  company, 
then  known  by  the  firm  name  of  B.  S. 
Wright  &  Company.      On   the  8th  of  July, 

1897,  he  and  his  brother  Thomas  bought 
the   business,   conducting   it  until  January, 

1898,  under  the  name  of  Barger  Brothers. 
Our  subject  then  became  its  sole  proprietor, 
acting  also  as  its  manager.  The  Morning 
Call  is  a  semi-weekly  paper,  and  is  devoted 
principally  to  the  business  interests  of  Nor- 
mal and  the  community.  Aside  from  his 
connection  with  the  Morning  Call,  Mr. 
Barger  runs  in  conjunction  with  Clarence  A. 
Burner  a  general  job  printing  business  in 
which  he  has  been  very  successful.  He  is 
a  man  of  much  penetration  and  discern- 
ment, pleasing  in  personality,  and  cordial 
in  manner.  He  has  improved  his  talents  to 
the  best  advantage,  and  his  present  high 
standing  in  Normal  is  the  result.  Frater- 
nally he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Wood- 
man, and  politically,  a  stanch  and  unswerv- 
ing Republican. 


WILLIAM  -WALLACE  BUTTOLPH. 
— The  deserved  reward  of  a  well-spent 
life  is  an  honored  retirement  from  business, 
in  which  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  former  toil. 
To-day,  after  a  useful  and  beneficial  career, 
Mr.  Buttolph  is  quietly  living  at  his  beauti- 
ful home  on  East  Grove  street.  Blooming- 
ton,  surrounded  by  the  comfort  that  earnest 
labor  has  brought  him. 

He  was  born  in  Middlebury,  Vermont, 
May  2,  1827,  a  son  of  David  and  Almira 
(Little)  Buttolph.  The  father  was  born  on 
the  same  farm,  in  May,  1 787,  and  was  reared 
to  agricultural  pursuits,  which  he  followed 
throughout  life,  becoming  the  owner  of  one 
of  the  largest  farms  in  the  east,  it  compris- 


158 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ing  over  four  hundred  acres.  He  died  upon 
that  place,  June  30,  1869,  honored  and  re- 
vered by  all  who  knew  him.  In  connection 
with  general  farming  he  engaged  in  sheep 
raising.  His  wife  was  a  native  of  Shore- 
ham,  Vermont,  and  a  daughter  of  Erastus 
Little,  but  as  her  mother  died  when  she  was 
quite  young,  she  was  reared  by  her  uncle, 
Solomon  Bissel.  Her  death  occurred  in 
August,  1840,  when  our  subject  was  thirteen 
years  of  age.  She  was  a  consistent  member 
of  the  Congregational  church  and  a  most 
estimable  lady.  In  the  family  were  six 
children,  four  sons  and  two  daughters. 

Mr.  Buttolph  traces  his  ancestry  back  to 
Saint  Botolph,  who  died  in  680  A.  D., 
and  was  commemorated  June  17.  He  was 
educated  in  Germany  with  his  brother 
Adolph,  after  which  they  became  monks, 
and  on  his  return  to  England,  through  the 
favor  of  Kmg  Ethelmond,  he  was  granted  a 
site  and  began  building  a  monastery,  it  is 
thought,  near  the  present  site  of  the  Cathe- 
dral of  Saint  Botolph  at  Boston,  England, 
which  place  derived  its  name  from  Saint 
Botolph 's  town.  He  was  a  prominent  man 
and  the  patron  saint  of  the  fishermen.  The 
relics  of  Saint  Botolph  were  distributed  by 
the  Bishop  of  Winchester  (A.  D.  934-984) 
among  several  monasteries.  On  the  coat  of 
arms  of  the  family  was  "All  for  conscience 
sake."  The  first  of  the  family  to  come  to 
America  were  Thomas  and  Ann  Buttolph, 
who  landed  at  Boston  in  1635,  coming  from 
Raynham,  Norfolk  county,  England.  From 
this  worthy  couple  Wendell  Phillips  was 
also  descended.  Thomas  Buttolph  was  made 
a  freeman  and  owned  Copps  Hill,  Boston, 
Massachusetts.  His  descendants  in  direct 
line  to  our  subject  were  John,  George,  Eli- 
jah and  David. 

Our  subject's  grandfather,  Elijah    But- 


tolph, was  born  in  1742,  at  or  near  Salis- 
bury, Connecticut,  and  was  a  son  of  George 
Buttolph,  of  Salisbury,  who,  with  three 
brothers,  was  a  member  of  a  Connecticut 
regiment  in  the  Revolutionary  war  and  was 
discharged  in  New  York  City  as  a  non-com- 
missioned officer.  Elijah  Buttolph  was 
three  times  married  and  the  children  by  the 
first  union  were  reared  in  Salisbury.  His 
second  wife  was  Mrs.  Deborah  Plumley. 
He  purchased  land  at  Middlebury,  Vermont, 
and  became  one  of  the  old  and  well-known 
residents  of  that  place,  where  he  spent  his 
remaining  days.  He  was  the  fifth  member 
of  the  Congregational  church  at  Middle- 
bury  and  a  most  excellent  man. 

William  W.  Buttolph  began  his  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  near  his  child- 
hood home,  and  later  attended  an  academy 
in  Middlebury.  He  remained  on  the  home 
farm,  assisting  his  father  in  its  operation 
until  he  attained  his  majority.  On  the  17th 
of  February,  1850,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Mary  A.  Manny,  of  Middle- 
bury, a  daughter  of  Hugh  Manny.  Five 
daughters  were  born  of  this  union,  but 
three  died  when  young,  these  being  Mary, 
Nelly  and  an  infant  unnamed.  Those  living 
are  Isadore  E.,  now  the  widow  of  Elwood 
Brown,  whose  grandfather  fought  at  the 
battles  of  Concord  and  Lexington  during 
the  Revolutionary  war;  and  Jennie  B. ,  wife 
of  Calvin  Rayburn,  an  attorney,  of  Bloom- 
ington,  by  whom  she  has  two  sons,  William 
B.  and  Allan  B. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Buttolph  went  to 
Lawrence,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was 
employed  on  the  construction  of  the  Pem- 
berton  mills,  setting  up  the  machinery,  and 
he  also  worked  in  the  machinery  department 
of  the  old  Atlantic  cotton  mills.  Returning 
to  his  native  state  he  located  at  Rutland  and 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


159 


entered  the  Rutland  &  Burlington  Railroad 
shops,  where  he  was  foreman  until  coming 
west  in  1858,  being  connected  with  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  for  a  time.  In  the 
spring  of  1861  he  came  to  Bloomington  and 
for  thirteen  years  had  charge  of  the  passenger 
car  department  of  the  Chicago  &  Alton 
Railroad,  during  which  time  great  changes 
were  made  in  the  cars.  He  invented  and 
patented  a  devise  for  ventilating  cars  which 
was  a  wonderful  improvement  at  that  time, 
and  was  used  by  the  Wabash  and  Chicago 
&  Alton  roads.  He  was  connected  with 
the  latter  road  when  there  was  such  a  de- 
mand for  cars  to  convey  soldiers  south  dur- 
ing the  civil  war,  and  some  very  poor  ones 
had  to  be  used.  In  1S73  he  went  to  Hearne, 
Texas,  as  master  car  builder  for  the  Inter- 
national &  Great  Northern  Railroad,  but 
not  liking  either  the  politics  or  the  people 
of  that  region,  he  resigned  his  position  at 
the  end  of  a  year  and  returned  north.  He 
then  took  charge  of  the  freight  department 
of  the  Alton  Railroad  at  Bloomington,  with 
which  he  was  connected  until  about  a  year 
ago,  when  he  retired  from  active  life  to 
spend  his  remaining  years  in  ease  and  quiet. 
He  has  seen  a  most  wonderful  change  take 
place  in  the  railroad  service  since  he  first 
became  identified  with  it,  and  he  has  held 
some  very  important  and  responsible  posi- 
tions with  different  roads. 

Prior  to  his  marriage,  Mr.  Buttolph  was 
made  a  Mason  at  Union  Lodge,  No.  2,  F. 
&  A.  M.,  Middlebury,  Vermont,  and  was 
one  of  the  charter  members  of  Wade  Barney 
Lodge,  No.  512,  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  Blooming- 
ton. He  assisted  in  organizing  Grace 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  but  would  not 
accept  office  in  the  same,  although  he  has 
always  been  one  of  its  active  and  prominent 
jperobers,  as  is  also  his  wife.     In  early  life 


she  was  an  Episcopalian.  They  are  now 
identified  with  the  First  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church.  Their  first  home  in  Blooming- 
ton he  erected  on  the  west  side,  but  for  the 
past  five  years  they  have  lived  in  East 
Grove  street.  They  have  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances  in  the  city  and 
are  held  in  high  regard  by  all  who  know 
them.  Mr.  Buttolph  is  an  honored  mem- 
ber of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution. 
His  two  daughters  are  members  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  Revolution. 


DANIEL  S.  OTTO  is  extensively  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Dale  township, 
where  he  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land,  but  operates  altogether  four  hun- 
dred acres.  He  was  born  in  Somerset 
county,  Pennsylvania,  July  15,  1856,  and 
is  of  German  lineage.  His  parents  were 
Christian  and  Catherine  (Brennemann)  Otto. 
Both  the  paternal  and  maternal  grand- 
fathers of  our  subject  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many. His  father  was  for  some  years  a 
farmer  in  Pennsylvania,  and  on  emigrating 
westward  took  up  his  residence  in  Allin 
township,  McLean  county,  where  he  pur- 
chased land  and  made  his  home  until  1866, 
when  he  removed  to  Nebraska.  He  was  a 
well-known  and  successful  farmer  and  when 
his  five  sons  were  all  at  home  they  used 
five  teams  in  operating  an  extensive  tract 
of  land,  thus  carrying  on  farming  on  a 
large  scale.  They  are  both  still  living. 
While  in  Pennsylvania  they  held  member- 
ship in  the  Omish  church,  but  afterward 
united  with  the  Mennonite  church. 

Daniel  S.  Otto,  of  this  review,  has 
spent  nearly  his  entire  life  in  McLean 
county.  To  its  public-school  system  he  is 
indebted  for   the    educational    privileges  he 


i6o 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


enjoyed.  His  business  training  was  re- 
ceived upon  his  father's  farm,  where  he 
remained,  not  only  until  he  had  attained 
his  majority  but  for  four  years  thereafter. 
He  began  farming  on  his  own  account  in 
Allin  township,  where  he  remained  for  two 
years.  He  was  married  January  lO,  i88S, 
to  Miss  Mary  E.  Springer,  a  daughter  of 
Peter  D.  Springer,  who  is  one  of  the  ex- 
tensive land  owners  of  McLean  county.  He 
has  a  valuable  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
forty-five  acres,  upon  which  our  subject 
now  resides;  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Dale  township,  south  of  Covell,  and  a  farm 
in  Allin  township,  but  is  living  retired  in 
Stanford.  Mrs.  Otto  was  born  and  reared 
in  Allin  township,  and  her  marriage  has 
been  blessed  with  three  children:  Edna, 
Lola  and  Alma. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Otto  operated 
his  father-in-law's  farm  in  Allin  township 
until  in  1S93,  when  he  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Dale  town- 
ship. Here  he  has  since  resided  and  in 
addition  to  his  property  he  cultivates  his 
father-in-law's  farm,  the  two  aggregating 
four  hundred  acres.  He  is  accounted  one 
of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  his  com- 
munity and  his  well-tilled  fields  at  once 
indicate  to  the  passer-by  the  care  and  cult- 
ivation of  a  progressive  owner.  He  has 
about  one  hundred  and  ninety  acres  planted 
to  corn,  and  this  crop  he  feeds  to  his  stock. 
He  is  quite  extensively  engaged  in  raising 
horses,  cattle  and  hogs  and  is  meeting  with 
a  well-merited  prosperity.  His  business 
methods  are  systematic  and  honorable  and 
commend  him  to  the  confidence  of  all 
with  whom  he  has  dealings. 

Mr.  Otto  has  taken  quite  an  active  in- 
terest in  public  affairs  and  exercises  his 
right  of    franchise    in    support  of  the    men 


and  measures  of  the  Democratic  party. 
The  cause  of  education  finds  in  him  a 
warm  friend  and  he  has  done  effective 
service  in  this  interest  while  acting  as 
school  trustee  and  director.  He  has  also 
been  assessor  of  the  township,  and  for  a 
number  of  years  has  served  on  the  Dem- 
ocratic township  committee.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Mennonite 
church  and  their  many  excellent  qualities 
have  gained  them  the  friendship  of  Dale 
township's  best  people. 


GEORGE  CHAMPION,  the  leading 
hardware  and  agricultural  implement 
dealer  of  Normal,  Illinois,  established  his 
present  business  here  in  1867,  almost  a  third 
of  a  century  ago.  He  was  born  in  Bristol, 
England,  February  24,  1840,  and  is  the  son 
of  George  and  Eleanor  (Ellis)  Champion, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  same 
country.  George  Champion,  Sr. ,  for  many 
years  made  the  city  of  Bristol  his  home, 
and  from  that  port  followed  the  sea,  engag- 
ing in  business  as  a  merchantman,  owning 
his  own  vessels  and  visiting  many  foreign 
ports.  He  died  on  the  coast  of  Africa  when 
our  subject  was  but  four  years  old.  His 
wife,  who  was  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Ellis, 
was  born  in  Bridgewater,  England,  which 
place  she  made  her  home  until  her  marriage 
with  Mr.  Champion,  when  they  settled  in 
Bristol.  Thomas  Ellis  was  the  owner  of  a 
farm  near  Bridgewater,  and  while  he  gave 
a  part  of  his  time  to  overseeing  its  cultiva- 
tion, the  greater  part  of  his  active  life  was 
spent  as  superintendent  of  a  large  bridge 
foundry.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Bright,  an 
own  cousin  of  the  well-known  John  Bright. 
After  the  death  of  her  husband,  Mrs. 
Eleanor  Champion  remained  in  Bristol,  un- 


PUBLIC  LjBRARY 

ASTOR,  LENOX 
[TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS 


GEORGE   CHAMPION. 


MRS.  GEORGE  CHAMPION. 


PUBLIC  LiBRARY 


ASTDTt,  LENOX 
TILoWftStt  N  D  A  TION  S 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


i6s 


til  her  removal  to  the  United  States  in  1854. 
The  death  of  her  husband  left  her  with  four 
children,  as  follows:  Philip,  a  half  brother 
of  our  subject,  became  a  seaman,  and  was 
later  a  mate  on  a  ship  running  from  Boston 
to  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico.  He  came  to  the 
United  States  prior  to  the  removal  of  the 
rest  of  the  family.  While  returning  from  a 
trip  to  Vera  Cruz,  his  death  occurred,  and 
he  was  buried  at  sea,  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
Athaliah  Victoria  Bright  is  now  making  her 
home  with  her  mother  in  Elgin,  Illinois. 
George  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Thomas  E.  is  now  living  in  Normal.  ;  On 
coming  to  the  United  States,  the  family  lo- 
cated at  Elgin,  Illinois,  taking  up  their  home 
there  on  the  4th  of  October,  1854,  and  • 
there  the  mother  and  daughter  have  since- 
continued  to  reside.  She  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  his 
education  at  Bristol,  and  was  a  graduate  of 
the  military  school  there.  Immediately 
after  his  graduation  the  family  emigrated  to 
the  United  States,  and  soon  after  their 
arrival  at  Elgin  he  commenced  to  learn  the 
wagon  maker's  trade,  but  not  liking  it,  he 
soon  left  his  employer  and  commenced  the 
carpenters's  trade,  serving  a  regular  appren- 
ticeship. After  completing  his  trade,  and 
while  still  residing  in  Elgin,  he  worked  for 
about  eighteen  mouths  as  a  journeyman. 
Not  being  able,  however,  to  stand  the  hot 
weather,  while  working  out  in  the  sun,  he 
was  compelled  to  abandon  his  trade.  This 
was  during  the  panic  of  1857,  and  the  hard 
times  succeeding,  and  there  was  very  little 
employment  for  any  one.  He  secured  a 
situation  in  a  grocery  store,  and  his  em- 
ployer being  taken  sick  soon  after,  the 
entire  charge  of  the  store  devolved  upon 
him  for   about  sixteen   months.      This  was 


the  first  opportunity  that  he  had  to  demon- 
strate his  business  ability,  and  his  adminis- 
tration of  affairs  was  such  as  to  commend 
him  to  his  employer  and  give  him  a  little 
reputation  in  the  business  world.  He  con- 
tinued in  the  store  until  just  prior  to  the 
breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  when  he  took 
a  position  with  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  & 
St.  Paul  Railroad  Company  as  brakeman, 
and  later  as  baggage-master,  continuing  to 
be  thus  employed  for  a  year  and  a  half.  He 
remained  on  the  road  until  he  was  in  a 
collision  in  which  the  engineer  was  killed, 
which  sickpned  him  of  railroad  life.  He 
then  wefii  into  the  shops  of  the  Chicago 
&  Northwestern  Railway  Company,  at 
'Cb^fca'goi  -working  under  instruction  in  the 
mae-fame  shops.  He  remamed  with  the 
company  until  his  removal  to  Normal. 
Previous  to  this,  however,  in  1862,  he  en- 
listed in  Company  B,  Sixty-ninth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry,  for  one  hundred  days, 
his  regiment  being  assigned  to  garrison 
duty,  guarding  rebel  prisoners  at  Fort 
Douglas,  Chicago. 

On  the  8th  of  May,  1867,  Mr.  Champion 
located  in  Normal,  and  engaged  in  the 
agricultural  implement  business,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  hardware  and  tinware  trade, 
having  as  a  partner  his  brother  Thomas,  the 
firm  being  known  as  Champion  Brothers. 
They  were  among  the  first  to  engage  in 
business  in  Normal,  and  probably  the  first 
in  their  line.  They  had  a  good  business 
from  the  start.  In  1877  Mr.  Champion 
purchased  the  interest  of  his  brother  and 
has  since  continued  alone,  and  having  one 
of  the  largest  establishments  of  its  kind  in 
this  section,  and  doing  a  very  successful 
business.  After  about  seven  years,  the  firm 
abandoned  the  agricultural  implement  part 
of    the    business,    in    consequence    of    the 


1 66 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ruinous  competition  following  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  granges,  or  Patrons  of  Hus- 
bandry. During  the  present  year  the  agri- 
cultural implement  business  was  resumed  to 
give  employment  to  his  sons 

On  the  6th  of  January,  1869,  Mr. 
Champion  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Hattie  Baker,  daughter  of  Hiram  Baker, 
whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this 
work,  and  by  this  union  there  were  five 
children,  one  of  whom,  Ralph,  died  Novem- 
ber 2,  1880,  at  the  age  of  fourteen  months. 
Gertie  B.  married  William  J.  Burwell,  and 
they  have  four  children — Clyde  C. ,  Alice 
May,  Harold  Baker  and  Clarence  Goodfel- 
low.  They  reside  in  Normal.  George,  Jr., 
married  Miss  Emily  Moore  and  they  have 
one  child,  Esther  Frances.  He  is  now  as- 
sociated with  his  father  in  business.  Frank 
Baker  married  Miss  Virgie  Fisher,  and  they 
make  their  home  in  Bloomington.  Myrtle 
Marie  yet  remains  at  home.  Mrs.  Cham- 
pion was  called  to  her  reward  December  17, 
1898,  and  her  death  was  calm  and  sweet, 
for  "she  knew  in  whom  she  believeth." 
She  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church,  and  had  the  utmost 
faith  in  the  teachings  of  the  Divine  Master. 
In  all  departments  of  church  work  she  took 
an  active  interest,  and  for  some  time  was 
president  of  the  Foreign  Missionary  Soci- 
ety of  her  church.  She  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  Felicity  Chapter,  No.  387,  O.  E.  S., 
and  served  as  worthy  matron  of  the  order. 
The  chapter  passed  a  series  of  resolutions 
on  her  death  which  appeared  in  the  Bloom- 
ington Bulletin.  The  G.  A.  R.  Post,  of 
Normal,  also  passed  resolutions  of  condo- 
lence, she  being  an  active  member  of  the 
Relief  Corps.  A  kind,  Christian  woman, 
she  was  a  friend  to  all  her  neighbors,  and  to 
any  one  who  needed  her  help.      Her  happy. 


cheerful  disposition  endeared  her  to  a  large 
circle  of  friends  who  deeply  mourn  her  loss. 
A  loving  wife  and  affectionate  mother,  her 
death  is  a  sad  blow  to  the  loved  ones  left 
behind,  but  they  sorrow  not  as  one  without 
hope,  but  look  forward  to  the  re-union  in 
the  ' '  sweet  by  and  bye. " 

Fraternally  Mr.  Champion  is  a  member 
of  Normal  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  No.  673,  of 
which  he  was  master  for  four  years,  and 
representative  to  the  grand  lodge  seven 
terms,  and  secretary  of  the  lodge  for  eleven 
years.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Bloom- 
ington Chapter,  No.  26,  R.  A.  M.,  and  of 
DeMolay  Commandery,  No.  24,  K.  T.  In 
each  of  the  latter  organizations  he  has  re- 
fused office  on  account  of  lack  of  time. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Charles  E.  Hovey 
Post,  No.  786,  G.  A.  R.,  of  which  he  is 
past  commander.  Since  attaining  his  ma- 
jority, he  has  been  a  strong  Republican, 
and  an  earnest  advocate  of  the  principles 
of  the  party.  He  served  one  term  as 
alderman  of  the  city,  and  was  three  times 
mayor  of  Normal.  He  also  served  four 
years  as  clerk  of  the  town  council,  and  was 
treasurer  of  the  corporation  for  three  years. 
While  serving  as  mayor  of  the  city  he  was 
instrumental  in  securing  the  electric  light 
system  for  street  lighting,  and  also  in  mak- 
ing a  number  of  needed  improvements. 
For  one  year  he  served  as  collector  of  the 
city  of  Normal,  and  the  following  year  was 
deputy  collector,  during  which  time  he  did 
all  the  business  connected  with  the  office. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  ed- 
ucation for  five  years,  two  years  and  a  half 
of  the  time  being  president  of  the  board. 
It  was  during  his  incumbency  of  the  office 
that  the  primary  school  building  was 
erected,  and  the  question  of  fraudulent 
bonds    that    had    been    issued    by    former 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


167 


school  boards  came  up  for  consideration. 
It  was  decided  by  the  board  to  contest  the 
payment  of  the  bonds  and  the  question  was 
carried  up  and  the  bonds  declared  null  and 
void  by  the  United  States  District  Courts. 
Much  credit  for  the  result  is  due  to  the  ef- 
forts of  Mr.  Champion.  In  addition  to  the 
public  offices  mentioned  in  which  he  has 
served,  he  has  filled  other  important  posi- 
tions and  been  on  a  number  of  important 
committees. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Champion  has  been 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  in  Normal,  and  since  his  first  con- 
nection with  that  body  has  been  a  member 
of  the  board  of  trustees,  and  for  years 
chairman  of  the  board.  He  has  also  been 
secretary  of  the  official  board  of  the  church 
since  the  board  was  orgaized.  When  the 
present  house  of  worship  was  being  erected 
he  served  as  chairman  of  the  building  com- 
mittee, a  position  which  he  was  well  qual- 
ified to  fill.  It  is  probable  that  no  man  in 
Normal  has  been  more  active  in  promoting 
the  business  interests  and  moral  welfare  of 
the  community,  and  where  best  known  he 
is  held  in  the  highest  respect. 


GEORGE  H.  LEWIS,  the  well-known 
and  popular  agent  of  the  Lake  Erie  & 
Wetern  Railroad  at  Bloomington,  was  born 
near  Covington,  Franklin  county,  Indiana, 
April  8,  1 864,  and  is  a  son  of  Eber  and  Eliza- 
beth (Stewart)  Lewis,  natives  of  Oswego 
county.  New  York,  the  former  born  in  18  16, 
the  latter  in  1819.  After  their  marriage, 
which  was  celebrated  in  Oswego,  they  re- 
moved to  Franklin  county,  Indiana,  being 
among  the  early  settlers  of  that  locality. 
Coming  to  Illinois  in  1858,  they  located  near 
Homer,    Vermillion  county,    where  the  fa- 


ther purchased  a  tract  of  wild  land,  and  to 
its  culivation  and  improvement  devoted  his 
attention  for  some  years.  He  returned  to 
Indiana  in  1866  and  this  time  took  up  his 
residence  near  State  Line  City,  Warren 
county,  where  he  bought  land  and  engaged 
in  general  farming  until  called  from  this 
life  in  1881.  There  his  widow  still  resides. 
Of  the  six  chidren  born  to  them,  our  sub- 
ject is  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth. 

During  his  boyhood,  George  H.  Lewis 
attended  the  common  schools  of  Vermillion 
county.  Illinois,  and  State  Line  City,  In- 
diana, and  later  attended  the  Mayhew  Busi- 
ness College,  of  Danville,  Illinois,  from 
which  he  was  graduated.  He  also  gradua- 
ted from  Danville  high  school  in  1872, 
then  known  as  Danville  College,  and  it  was 
two  years  later  that  he  completed  the  course 
in  the  business  college.  He  attended  the 
Teachers  Normal  School  at  Danville  in  1 876, 
and  after  that  engaged  in  school  teaching  and 
farming  until  the  winter  of  1879-80.  The 
following  spring  he  commenced  learning 
telegraphy  at  Bismarck,  on  the  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois  Railroad,  and  was  connected 
with  that  road  as  extra  and  regular  opera- 
tor until  the  winter  of  1882-3,  when  he 
entered  the  service  of  the  Lake  Erie  & 
Western  Railroad  in  the  office  of  which  he 
now  has  charge.  From  the  6th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1883,  he  served  as  day  operator  and 
also  as  chief  until  the  summer  of  1890, 
when  he  was  transferred  by  the  company  to 
Paxton,  Ford  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
served  as  agent  for  nine  years.  In  March, 
1 89 1,  he  was  appointed  agent  at  Bloom- 
ington, having  charge  of  both  the  ticket 
and  freight  departments  at  both  places. 
Through  his  able  management  the  interests 
of  the  company  have  been  advanced,  he 
has  built  up  a  large  and  rapidly  increasing 


i68 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


business,  and  his  personal  popularity  in 
Bloomington  and  with  many  patrons  of 
the  road  has  done  much  to  promote  its  in- 
terests. Its  business  here  has  doubled  dur- 
ing his  incumbency,  and  never  have  the  af- 
fairs of  the  road  been  better  managed.  He 
has  a  number  of  men  working  under  him, 
whose  high  regard  he  holds. 

On  the  3d  of  October,  1892,  Mr.  Lewis 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary 
Malone,  of  La  Salle,  Illinois.  She  died 
January  2,  1899,  leaving  a  little  daughter, 
Nellie. 


JAMES  W.  TAVENNER,  supreme  sec- 
retary and  chief  deputy  of  the  Pioneer 
Reserve  Association,  is  one  of  the  most  en- 
terprising and  progressive  business  men  of 
Bloomington.  He  was  born  near  McCon- 
nellsville,  Ohio,  July  10,  1851,  and  is  a  son 
of  Joseph  R.  and  Nancy  J.  (Young)  Taven- 
ner.  The  paternal  grandfather,  Jonah 
Tavenner,  was  born  in  Loudon  county,  Vir- 
ginia, and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-three. 
His  wife  was  born  in  District  of  Columbia 
and  died  at  age  of  seventy  years.  The 
grandmother  was  one  of  the  girls  who 
strewed  flowers  in  the  path  of  Washington 
when  he  entered  Washington,  D.  C.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  born  November 
II,  1827,  in  Loudon  county,  Virginia,  but 
was  only  three  years  old  when  taken  by  his 
parents  to  Ohio,  and  near  McConnellsville 
he  grew  to  manhood.  He  followed  farm- 
ing continuously  until  1859,  when  he  was 
elected  county  recorder  of  Morgan  county, 
Ohio,  which  office  he  most  acceptably  filled 
for  three  full  terms,  but  resigned  oncoming  to 
McLean  county,  Illinois,  in  December,  1868. 
In  1875  he  removed  to  Vermillion  county, 
Illinois,  and  in    1883  moved   to   Blooming- 


ton, and  in  1885  removed  to  Normal. 
While  living  in  Vermillion  county  he  en- 
gaged in  farming,  also  served  as  township 
assessor  for  three  years.  For  the  past 
twelve  years  he  has  served  as  assessor  of 
Normal.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  faith- 
ful members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  in  early  life  took  a  very  active 
part  in  its  work.  She  is  a  native  of  Bel- 
mont county,  Ohio,  born  March  23,  1830. 
They  are  the  parents  of  five  children, 
namely:  James  W.,  our  subject;  Charles 
A.,  also  a  resident  of  Bloomington;  Emma 
J.,  wife  of  Frank  Fisher,  of  Duluth,  Min- 
nesota; and  Ella  L. ,  at  home,  and  Eva,  who 
died  in  infancy.  The  family  is  well-known 
and  has  the  respect  of  all. 

James  W.  Tavenner  completed  the 
course  in  the  public  schools  of  McConnells- 
ville, Ohio.  After  the  removal  of  the  fam- 
ily to  this  county,  he  assisted  his  father 
on  the  home  farm,  and  accompanied  them 
on  their  removal  to  Vermillion  county,  re- 
turning here  in  December,  1876,  entered 
the  Normal  University  with  the  intention 
of  preparing  himself  for  a  teacher.  He  en- 
tered upon  his  chosen  profession  as  a  teacher 
in  the  district  school  near  his  home,  in  the 
meantime  continuing  his  studies  at  Normal, 
where  he  graduated  in  1888.  Later  he  was 
principal  of  the  schools  at  Williamsville  for 
two  years;  superintendent  of  the  schools  of 
Le  Roy  the  same  length  of  time;  and  prin- 
cipal of  a  ward  school  in  Bloomington  for 
two  years,  being  offered  each  position  with- 
out his  solicitation.  The'  following  two 
years  he  was  superintendent  of  the  schools 
of  Chillicothe,  this  state,  and  taught  in  the 
Kankakee  County  Teachers'  Institute  for 
one  year,  his  time  being  entirely  occupied 
by  educational  affairs  until  June,  1896. 
He    was    then    district    manager     for    the 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


169 


Northwestern  Life  Assurance  Company,  of 
Chicago,  in  McLean  county,  for  one  year, 
and  later  became  interested  in  the  Univer- 
sity Association  work  of  Chicago,  which 
grew  out  of  the  World's  Fair,  being  district 
manager  for  a  number  of  counties  until  De- 
cember, 1897,  when  he  entered  fraternal 
insurance  work  in  the  employ  of  the  Royal 
Circle  of  Springfield. 

In  April,  1898,  Mr.  Tavenner  organized 
the  Pioneer  Reserve  Association,  doing,  all 
the  work  of  getting  up  the  constitution  and 
by-laws,  and  all  manuscripts  and  forms  per- 
taining to  the  business  with  the  exception  of 
the  medical  department.  It  is  a  fraternal 
order  on  broad  principles  and  conducted  on 
safe,  progressive  business  methods,  with  a 
self-controlling  reserve  fund  for  the  protec- 
tion of  its  members  against  assessments  in 
excess  of  twelve  in  any  one  year.  Its 
officers  are  among  the  most  prominent  and 
reliable  business  men  of  central  Illinois,  be- 
ing C.  F.  Koch,  mayor  of  Bloomington, 
supreme  president;  Judge  Joseph  W.  Maple, 
of  Peoria,  vice-president;  J.  W.  Tavenner, 
supreme  secretary;  C.  J.  Moyer,  cashier  of 
the  Corn  Belt  Bank,  of  Bloomington,  su- 
preme treasurer;  S.  P.  Robinson,  supreme 
counsel;  Dr.  D.  H.  Nusbaum,  supreme 
medical  director;  Hon.  S.  S.  Tanner,  of 
Minier,  supreme  orator;  C.  C.  Hassler,  edi- 
tor of  "The  Pioneer"  ;  E.  A.  Simmons,  of 
Pontiac,  supreme  guide;  Edgar  Phillips,  of 
Stanford,  supreme  guard;  and  F.  G.  White, 
of  Pontiac,  supreme  sentry.  The  directors 
of  the  association  are  T.  S.  Davy,  of  Lin- 
coln; A.  C.  Ball,  of  Pontiac;  Duett  Brown, 
of  Normal;  Dr.  M.  S.  Marcy,  of  Peoria;  and 
D.  R.  Amerman,  J.  W.  Rodgers  and  Paul 
Finnan,  all  of  Bloomington.  The  auditing 
committee  consists  of  Dr.  John  R.  Barnett, 
of  Lincoln;  Prof.  R.  O.  Graham,  of  Bloom- 


ington; and  Hon.  A.  J.  Scrogin,  of  Lexing- 
ton. Although  the  association  was  not  in- 
corporated until  September  8,  1898,  it  has 
already  met  with  most  remarkable  success, 
having  about  one  thousand  members  by  the 
1st  of  January,  1899.  The  success  of  the 
enterprise  is  due  almost  wholly  to  Mr. 
Tavenner,  who  has  attested  his  eminent  and 
pronounced  ability  as  a  business  man  and 
financier.  He  is  a  man  of  keen  discrimina- 
tion and  sound  judgment,  and  has  become 
an  important  factor  in  the  business  circles 
of  Bloomington.  His  strict  integrity  and 
honorable  dealing  commend  him  to  the  con- 
fidence of  all;  his  pleasant  manner  wins  him 
friends;  and  he  is  one  of  the  popular  and 
honored  citizens  of  Bloomington. 


REV.  JOSEPH  MONTGOMERY,  of 
Normal,  deceased,  was  born  near 
Shephardstown,  Jefferson  county,  West 
Virginia,  on  the  loth  of  October,  1812. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  Thomas 
Montgomery,  a  native  of  County  Tyrone, 
Ireland,  and  came  to  this  land  of  freedom 
in  1770.  He  acted  as  valet  to  General 
Washington  during  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  at  its  close  removed  to  Maryland,  where 
his  death  occurred.  He  had  one  son, 
Thomas  Montgomery,  Jr.,  who  was  born 
September  9,  1798,  and  who  was  a  pros- 
perous farmer.  Thomas  Jr.  married  Miss 
Catherine  Hawn,  by  whom  he  had  nine 
children,  our  subject  being  second  in  order 
of  birth.  Of  these  nine  children  only  three 
survive.  He  died  June  9,  1831.  Joseph, 
the  subject  of  this  review,  was  reared  and 
educated  in  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  and 
after  completing  his  education  taught  school 
for  a  time  and  then  entered  a  general  store 
as  a  clerk.      His   religious  inclinations  and 


170 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


influence  and  his  natural  ability,  combined 
with  a  midnight  dream,  influenced  his  mind 
to  such  a  degree  that,  with  the  sanction  of 
the  church,  he  prepared  himself  for  the 
work  of  salvation.  His  first  religious  im- 
pressions were  in  his  early  youth,  when  he 
united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  his  faithfulness  and  rapid  development 
soon  furnished  evidence  of  his  call  to  the 
ministry.  In  1S37  he  was  received  on  trial 
into  the  Pittsburg  Conference,  having  pre- 
viously worked  under  the  presiding  elder. 
He  labored  successfully  for  fifteen  years, 
with  the  following  charges:  Lewis,  New 
Lisbon,  Hanover,  Knoxville,  Deersville, 
Leesburg,  Carrollton,  Smithfield,  St.  Clair- 
ville,  Bridgewater,  Salem,  and  Uniontown, 
Pennsylvania.  He  was  ordained  deacon  at 
Clarksburg,  West  Virginia,  in  1840,  by 
Bishop  Morris;  and  ordained  elder,  in  1841, 
by  Bishop  Roberts,  in  Pittsburg.  In  1852 
he  was  transferred  to  the  Illinois  Confer- 
ence, where  he  spent  forty-five  years,  and 
where  he  was  residing  when  called  to  his 
Master.  In  this  conference  he  served  the 
following  places:  Rushville;  Waverly;  Clin- 
ton; Lincoln;  Mechanicsburg;  Decatur  cir- 
cuit; Quincy,  Fifth  street;  Payson;  Turn 
Grove,  and  Covell;  Champaign  University 
charge;  Bement;  agent  Preachers'  Aid  So- 
ciety; Rantoul;  Taylorville;  Illiopolis;  Mon- 
ticello;  Areola;  Mahomet;  and  Warrens- 
burg.  In  1882  he  was  granted  a  super- 
numerary relation,  and  in  1883  his  relation 
was  changed  to  a  superanuated  one,  which 
he  sustained  for  thirteen  years. 

Mr.  Montgomery  was  twice  married, 
first  to  Miss  Mary  Tidd,  of  Woodfield,  Ohio, 
in  1833,  who  died  in  1871.  Five  children 
were  born  to  them,  two  sons  and  three 
daughters.  Of  this  number  three  are  still  liv- 
ing— Mrs.  S.  F.Wessel,  Mrs.  A.  B.  Sloan  and 


Reverend  Homer  B.  The  second  marriage 
of  our  subject  was  with  Miss  Rachel  Salis- 
bury, of  Camargo,  Illinois,  which  took  place 
in  1880.  Joseph  Montgomery  was  a  great 
lover  of  books,  and  a  forcible  and  eloquent 
preacher,  as  his  work  testifies,  impressive 
and  sometimes  impassioned.  As  a  pastor 
and  citizen  he  was  one  of  God's  noblemen. 
His  convictions  of  right  were  strong,  and  his 
courage  stanch  enough  to  defend  them.  He 
was  an  obliging  neighbor,  an  affectionate 
husband,  a  loving  father,  and  was  a  light 
upon  God's  earth.  He  was  among  the  old- 
est and  most  respected  members  of  his  con- 
ference, and  only  omitted  one  roll-call  in 
fifty  years.  His  illness  was  short  and  his 
end  glorious.  He  departed  to  his  heavenly 
rest  on  the  22d  of  August,  1896,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-three  years,  ten  months 
and  twelve  days. 

Mrs.  Rachel  Montgomery,  the  widow  of 
our  subject,  is  a  daughter  of  the  Reverend 
A.  Salisbury,  and  his  wife,  Cyrena,  natives 
of  Ohio,  who  were  born  February  9,  1817, 
and  September  22,  1822,  respectively. 
They  were  married  September  20,  1838, 
and  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  three 
of  whom  are  living.  Mr.  Salisbury  was  a 
minister  of  considerable  prominence  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  took  his 
first  appointment  in  1847.  He  traveled  for 
ten  years,  but  owing  to  declining  health 
was  obliged  to  give  up  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. He  died  February  6,  1899,  having 
reached  his  eighty-third  year.  His  wife, 
Cyrena,  died  July  28,  1888. 


DANIEL  DUNMIRE,  one  of  the  most 
prominent  and  influential  citizens  of 
Normal,  was  born  in  Miffiin  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, May  II,  1822.      His  parents  were 


I 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


171 


Henry  and  Peggy  (Swartz)  Dunmire,  natives 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  former  was  a  car- 
penter by  occupation  and  also  a  farmer  of 
some  note.  At  the  time  of  the  civil  war  he 
was  a  war  Democrat  in  his  political  convic- 
tions, but  afterward  became  a  Republican. 
He  was  an  energetic  and  upright  man  of 
business  and  was  always  ready  to  do  a  good 
act  and  help  those  who  were  in  need  of  his 
assistance.  He  and  his  wife  were  members 
of  the  Evangelical  Association.  They  lived 
to  reach  the  ages  of  sixty-three  and  seventy- 
three  respectively. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  third  in 
order  of  birth  of  ten  children,  five  of  whom 
are  living.  He  was  reared  in  the  town  of 
his  birth  and  there  received  his  education. 
When  seventeen  years  of  age  his  parents 
moved  to  a  farm  in  Cambria  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  assisted  in  clearing  a 
farm,  also  engaging  in  the  lumber  business. 
He  remained  with  his  father  until  reaching 
his  twenty-fifth  year,  and  after  his  father's 
death,  which  occurred  about  that  time,  pur- 
chased a  portion  of  the  homestead,  contain- 
ing two  hundred  and  eighty  acres,  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty  of  which  were  his  by  right  of 
inheritance.  He  also  owned  and  operated  a 
saw-mill  in  company  with  two  of  his  broth- 
ers, which,  owing  to  his  e.xcellent  business 
ability  and  good  management,  was  very 
successful.  In  1863,  finding  that  he  was 
overtaxing  his  strength  and  breaking  in 
health,  he  sold  his  interests  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  came  to  Illinois,  where  he  pur- 
chased two  hundred  acres  of  improved  land 
in  Kappa,  and  commenced  farming  on  a 
very  extensive  scale.  In  1890  he  purchased 
his  charming  home  in  Normal  where  he 
now  resides,  and  where,  in  his  declining 
years,  he  lives  on  the  fruits  of  an  active  and 
well  spent  life. 


On  the  22th  of  April,  1S47,  Mr.  Dun- 
mire was  joined  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maria 
Rorabaugh,  who  was  born  in  Germany 
September  28,  1828,  and  who  came  to  this 
country  at  the  early  age  of  two  years.  The 
ten  children  of  this  happy  union  are  here 
named  in  order  of  birth:  Mary,  deceased; 
Josiah;  Lucinda;  Wesley;  Hattie;  Frank; 
Oliver,  deceased;  Sarah;  and  two  who  died 
in  infancy.  During  his  residence  in  Kappa 
Mr.  Dunmire  was  elected  to  several  offices 
of  trust  and  responsibility  which  he  filled  in 
a  manner  very  gratifying  to  the  community. 
Among  them  were  the  offices  of  school 
director  and  road  commissioner.  He  is  a 
strong  Prohibitionist  and  votes  for  the 
downfall  of  that  traffic  which  dethrones 
reason  and  makes  man  lower  than  the  brute 
creation.  Mr.  Dunmire  is  not  a  member 
of  any  denomination  but  is  attached  to  that 
body  which  believe  in  complete  holiness. 
He  is  well  versed  in  the  scriptures  and  en- 
deavors to  practice  what  they  teach,  observ- 
ing those  principles  which  teach  him  his 
duty,  first  to  God  and  then  to  his  neighbor. 


THOMAS  C.  CARLISLE,  who  is  now 
living  a  retired  life  in  Chenoa,  has  for 
forty  years  been  a  resident  of  that  city,  and 
this  volumn  would  be  incomplete  without  a 
record  of  his  life.  During  the  greater  part 
of  his  residence  in  Chenoa  he  has  been  iden- 
tified with  its  interests  and  has  become  an 
active  factor  in  its  development,  a  pro- 
moter of  many  of  its  enterprises  and  a  citi- 
zen of  worth,  whose  loyalty  to  the  public 
welfare  is  above  question.  He  was  born  in 
Shippensburg,  Pennsylvania,  March  28, 
1 83 1,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Mary 
(Griffin)  Carlisle,  both  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania.     The  former  was  a  gunsmith   by  oc- 


172 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


cupation,  and  died  in  his  native  state.  Of 
their  five  children  three  are  living,  Thomas 
C.  being  fourth  in  order  of  birth.  He  grew 
to  manhood  in  his  native  village  and  in  the 
district  school  received  his  primary  educa- 
tion, which  was  supplemented  by  attend- 
ance at  the  Big  Spring  Academy.  After 
completing  his  studies,  he  taught  in  various 
towns  in  Pennsylvania,  until  1855  when  he 
came  west,  locating  in  Chenoa,  where  he 
also  taught  for  a  time.  After  a  residence 
of  a  few  years  he  purchased  a  farm  of 
eighty  acres  near  Lexington,  where  he 
worked  for  six  years,  teaching  school  dur- 
ing the  winter  seasons.  In  i860  he  removed 
to  Lexington  where  he  opened  a  grocery, 
and  in  1862  he  sold  his  stock  and  became 
a  dealer  in  meats,  traveling  between  Chenoa 
and  Lexington  for  seven  years.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  this  time  he  returned  to  Chenoa, 
where  he  was  employed  by  the  Chicago  & 
Alton,  and  the  Pittsburg  &  Fort  Wayne 
Railroads  as  baggage-master,  and  a  few 
years  later  as  agent  for  the  United  States 
Express  Company. 

On  the  9th  of  March,  1854,  Mr.  Car- 
lisle was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rebec- 
ca McCahren,  who  was  born  in  Chester 
county,  Pennsylvania,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
John  McCahren.  Three  children  have  come 
to  bless  this  union,  namely:  Mary  J.  L. ,  Mar- 
tha A.,  and  John  H.,  superintendent  of  the 
Chesapeake  &  Ohio  Railroad,  whose  pres- 
ent position  and  high  business  standing  are 
due  to  his  own  enterprise  and  sterling  qual- 
ities. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carlisle  are  prominent 
attendants  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
They  are  ever  ready  to  help  those  in  need 
of  their  assistance,  and  join  in  each  project 
for  the  elevation  and  benefit  of  humanity. 
In  his  political  convictions,  Mr.  Carlisle  is 
a  Democrat,  and  during  the  time  that    he 


served  the  public  officially,  he  has  made  an 
admirable  record,  giving  equal  satisfaction 
as  police  magistrate  and  alderman,  serving 
in  the  former  capacity  for  four  years  and 
the  latter  eight  years.  He  is  a  man  of  dis- 
tinctive ability,  and  his  character  is  above 
a  shadow  of  reproach.  He  is  upright  and  just 
in  all  his  dealings,  and  is  highly  respected  by 
those  who  have  been  at  all  familiar  with  his 
honorable  and  useful  career. 


LYMAN  FERRE.  Few  men  were  more 
prominent  or  more  widely  known  in 
the  enterprising  city  of  Bloomington  than 
this  gentleman,  who  was  called  to  his  final 
rest  December  i,  1897.  He  was  an  im- 
portant factor  in  business  circles  and  his 
popularity  was  well  deserved,  as  in  him 
were  embraced  the  characteristics  of  an  un- 
bending integrity,  unabated  energy  and  in- 
dustry that  never  flagged.  He  was  public- 
spirited  and  thoroughly  interested  in  what- 
ever tended  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the 
city. 

Mr.  Ferre  was  born  in  Springfield, 
Massachusetts,  December  16,  1818,  and 
was  a  son  of  Solomon  Ferre  and  Margaret 
(Rumrill)  Ferre,  who  were  of  English  and 
French  descent.  The  father  was  born  April 
9,  1780,  and  died  about  1850,  while  the 
mother  was  born  in  1781,  and  died  August 
19,  1844.  She  belonged  to  a  very  old  and 
prominent  family  of  Springfield,  Massachu- 
setts. The  father  of  Solomon  Ferre  was 
an  officer  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  In  his 
native  city  our  subject  was  educated  and 
learned  the  wagon  maker's  trade,  remaining 
a  resident  of  that  city  until  coming  to 
Bloomington,  Illinois,  in  1840.  Here  he 
worked  at  his  trade  for  others  for  three 
years,  and  then  opened  a  shop  of  his  own 


LYMAN   FERRE. 


THE   N£\V   YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR.  L=*'°2L„o  , 
1  TILD£T»  W^t^Of^^^ 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


I7S 


where  the  old  post  office  building  now 
stands,  on  Front  street,  near  the  corner  of 
Center.  He  engaged  in  carriage  and  wagon 
making  with  his  brother  Goodman  Ferre 
and  John  L.  Wolcott  until  March,  1S43, 
when  he  left  the  business  with  those  gentle- 
men and  started  for  California  across  the 
plains,  taking  some  capital  with  him.  A 
friend  that  was  with  him  on  the  trip  speaks 
in  the  highest  terms  of  praise  of  his  faithful- 
ness and  reliability  in  every  emergency  on 
on  that  long,  tedious,  and  at  that  time  dan- 
gerous journey.  His  California  experience 
was  a  very  profitable  one  for  those  days. 
The  belt  in  which  he  carried  his  gold  dust 
is  still  a  valued  relic  in  the  family.  He 
also  embarked  in  the  cattle  business  on  a 
small  ranch.  After  an  absence  of  aljpi^if^f, 
two  years  he  returned  to  Illinois  by  way  of 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  New  Orleans  and 
St.  Louis,  where  he  was  quarantined  on 
account  of  cholera  but  finally  reached  home 
in  safety,  but  suffered  from  the  effects  of 
that  dread  disease  for  years  afterwards. 

On  his  return  to  Bloomington,  Mr.  Ferre 
resumed  business  with  the  old  firm  on  Front 
street  and  from  that  time  forward  he  seemed 
to  prosper  in  all  his  undertakings.  He  very 
soon  bought  out  Mr.  Wolcott's  interest  in 
the  business  and  soon  afterward  his  brother 
Goodman  retired  from  the  firm,  leaving 
him  sole  proprietor.  It  was  not  long  before 
his  old  shop  at  the  corner  of  Front  and 
Center  streets  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  in 
1876  he  erected  the  large  fine  building 
known  as  the  Masonic  Temple,  the  lower 
floor  of  which  was  rented  to  the  United 
States  government  for  a  postofBce,  the  first 
contract  being  for  ten  years  and  a  renewal 
for  ten  years,  or  until  the  new  postoffice 
building  was  erected,  which  was  twenty-five 

years    in    all    as    a   postoffice.     The  entire 
9 


third  floor  was  devoted  to  Masonic  uses. 
He  also  continued  to  carry  on  his  business 
of  carriage  and  wagon  making  in  his  build- 
ings adjoining  there  for  many  years.  In 
the  meantime  Mr.  Ferre  obtained  a  charter 
from  the  legislature  for  a  street  railway 
from  Bloomington  to  Normal,  which  he 
built,  owned  and  operated  with  a  stock 
company  for  several  years  and  finally  sold 
to  Asa  H.  Moore.  He  was  a  large  stock- 
holder in  the  Peoples  Bank  and  for  twenty- 
four  years  served  as  one  of  its  directors 
and  vice-president,  filling  both  positions  at 
the  time  of  his  death.  Mr.  Ferre  in  later 
years  devoted  much  time  in  raising  fine 
horses  and  Jersey  cows.  He  also  imported 
fine  Percheron  horses,  of  which  he  had  his 
fa.rmin  Normal  township  well  stocked.     He 

•  ■  -J     -m    "•'  - 

was  active  in  getting  the  street  railway  es- 
tablished in  Bloomington,  and  was  the  first 
president  of  the  corporation,  in  1867  and 
1868.  It  was  mainly  through  his  efforts 
and  those  of  e.x-Governor  Routt,  of  Colo- 
rado, that  the  new  court  house  was  built,  it 
being  considered  very  fine  at  that  time. 
He  was  a  man  of  keen  perception,  shrewd 
and  far-sighted,  yet  honest  and  reliable  in 
all  things,  and  he  occupied  a  most  enviable 
position  in  business  circles  both  at  home 
and  abroad. 

Mr.  Ferre  married  Miss  Jeannette  E. 
Hayes,  a  native  of  Granby,  Connecticut, 
and  a  daughter  of  Amasa  and  Ruth  (Jones) 
Hayes,  who  were  of  old  Connecticut  stock. 
The  father  died  in  that  state,  but  in  1840  the 
mother  came  with  her  children  to  Blooming- 
ton. Mrs.  Ferre  was  born  May  28,  1 821,  and 
by  her  marriage  became  the  mother  of  three 
children — a  son  who  died  in  infancy;  Adda, 
the  second  child,  born  in  1852,  died  in  1873; 
Belle,  the  third  child,  is  the  wife  of  W.  G. 
Taylor,   of    Cleveland,   Ohio,   and  has  two 


176 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


daughters — Gertrude  Ferre  and  Jeannette 
Elizabeth.  Since  1844  the  home  of  the 
family  has  been  on  Center  street,  and  there 
Mrs.  Ferre  still  resides.  She  is  a  member 
of  the  Second  Presbj'terian  church,  to  which 
Mr.  Ferre,  though  not  a  member,  contrib- 
uted liberally.  Mr.  Ferre  was  a  member  of 
Bloomington  Lodge,  No.  43,  F.  &  A.  M. ; 
Bloomington  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and  De 
Molay  Commandery,  K.  T. ;  and  politically 
was  a  prominent  representative  of  the  Re- 
publican party.  His  record  is  that  of  a  man 
who,  by  his  own  unaided  efforts,  worked  his 
way  upward  to  a  position  of  wealth  and 
affluence.  In  all  places  and  under  all  cir- 
cumstances he  was  loyal  to  truth,  honor  and 
right,  justly  valuing  his  own  self-respect  as 
infinitely  more  preferable  than  fame  and  po- 
sition. In  those  finer  traits  of  character 
which  combine  to  form  that  which  we  term 
friendship,  which  endear  and  attach  man  to 
man  in  bonds  which  nothing  but  the  stain  of 
dishonor  can  sever,  which  triumph  and 
shine  brightest  in  the  hour  of  adversity — 
in  those  qualities  he  was  royally  endowed. 
He  was  always  very  loyal  to  the  state, 
county  and  city  of  his  adoption. 


EDWARD  WILSON,  one  of  the  prom- 
inent farmers  of  McLean  county,  re- 
siding in  Dale  township,  where  he  owns 
and  operates  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land,  was  born  near  Cazenovia,  Madison 
county.  New  York,  August  6,  1827,  a  son 
of  William  and  Lydia  (Main)  Wilson. 
The  father  was  born  in  Beddington,  Eng- 
land, near  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  in  1791, 
and  with  his  parents,  Thomas  and  Mary 
Wilson,  came  to  the  United  States.  They 
located  near  Cazenovia  on  land  purchased 
of  old  Peter  Smith,  making  the  journey  to 


that  place  by  way  of  the  Hudson  and  Mo- 
hawk rivers  on  a  flatboat  pushed  by  a  pole. 
The  vessel  on  which  they  crossed  the  At- 
lantic was  the  Mary  of  Glasgow,  then  one 
hundred  years  old,  and  which  only  made 
one  trip  afterward.  In  the  midst  of  the 
forest  near  Cazenovia,  Thomas  Wilson 
made  a  clearing  and  developed  a  good  farm 
upon  which  he  resided  for  forty  years.  He 
spent  his  last  days  there,  and  his  wife 
reached  the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety 
years,  retaining  her  mental  and  physical 
faculties  almost  unimpaired  to  the  close  of 
her  life. 

The  maternal  grandparents  of  our  sub- 
ject were  Thomas  and  Lydia  Main.  The 
former  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  whence 
he  removed  to  Mount  Vernon,  Oneida 
county,  New  York,  and  his  death  occurred 
the  same  year  as  Thomas  Wilson  passed 
away — the  year  1822,  at  which  time  he  was 
seventy-seven  years  of  age.  His  wife  died 
in  1825  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years. 

William  Wilson  and  Lydia  Main  were 
married  December  14,  18 15.  For  over 
forty  years  the  father  of  our  subject  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  New  York  and  then 
came  with  his  family  to  the  west.  He 
made  the  journey  on  a  lake  steamer  from 
Buffalo  to  Chicago,  arriving  in  the  latter 
city  in  June,  1844.  With  his  family  he 
spent  the  first  summer  in  Joliet,  not  being 
able  to  go  further  on  account  of  the  im- 
passable condition  of  the  roads,  caused  by 
heavy  rains.  In  the  fall  they  arrived  in 
McLean  county,  the  father  purchasing  land 
and  improving  a  farm  in  Dale  township, 
where  he  made  his  home  until  1858,  after 
which  he  lived  a  retired  life  in  Blooming- 
ton. He  had  accumulated  four  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  of  land — a  valuable  and 
very   desirable  property.       He   was  a  sup- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


177 


porter  of  the  Baptist  church  and  all  of  his 
family  were  members  thereof.  He  died 
November  19,  1873,  and  his  wife  passed 
away  November  23,  1884,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-six  years.  She  was  a  woman  of 
marked  ability,  possessed  considerable  po- 
etical talent  and  was  also  exceptionally 
well  informed  on  political  questions,  yet 
never  obtruded  her  opinions  on  others. 
The  church  found  in  her  a  devoted  friend 
and  her  upright  life  won  her  the  warm  es- 
teem of  all  who  knew  her.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wilson  were  the  parents  of  nine  children, 
all  of  whom  lived  to  be  more  than  thirty 
years  of  age.  They  are  Mrs.  Samuel 
Landers,  Mrs.  William  H.  Holmes,  who 
died  in  Bloomington;  A.  Judson;  Edward; 
Henry  C,  who  removed  from  Bloomington 
to  St.  Lawrence  and  is  now  a  resident  of 
Boston,  Massachusetts;  Mrs.  H.  G.  Hart, 
of  Belleville,  New  Jersey;  Mrs.  C.  W. 
Goddard,  who  died  in  Brooklyn,  New  York; 
Walter  C. ,  who  died  in  October,  1853;  and 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  C.  C.  Holmes,  who 
died  in  July,  1863. 

Edward  Wilson  obtained  his  preliminary 
education  in  the  common  schools  and  sup- 
plemented it  by  study  in  Cazenovia  Semi- 
nary. He  was  early  trained  to  habits  of 
industry  upon  the  home  farm,  soon  became 
familiar  with  all  the  duties  that  fall  to  the 
lot  of  the  agriculturist,  and  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  years  took  charge  of  the  home 
farm,  displaying  marked  ability  in  its  man- 
agement. In  addition  to  the  cultivation  of 
grains  he  successfully  carried  on  stock  rais- 
ing and  became  one  of  the  prominent  young 
men  of  the  township.  When  his  father  re- 
moved from  the  township  he  purchased  a 
part  of  his  present  farm,  a  tract  of  raw 
land,  upon  which  not  a  furrow  had  been 
turned  nor  an  improvement  made.      He  did 


the  first  plowing  and  planting  there,  erected 
the  first  house  and  in  course  of  time  trans- 
formed his  land  into  a  rich  and  valuable 
tract.  He  erected  a  fine  and  commodious 
residence  in  1873,  and  it  is  surrounded  by 
a  beautiful  grove  of  his  own  planting.  The 
Wilson  home  is  one  of  the  most  attractive 
in  the  entire  township,  and  the  substantial 
improvements  and  well-cultivated  fields  in- 
dicate the  enterprise  and  progressiveness  of 
the  owner. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mrs.  Louisa  McWhorter,  a  daughter  of  John 
Perry,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Danvers. 
He  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  February  22, 
1800,  and  when  a  young  man  went  to  Jes- 
samine county,  Kentucky,  whence  he  came 
to  Illinois  in  1836.  By  trade  he  was  a 
shoemaker  and  followed  that  occupation 
throughout  his  entire  life.  He  married 
Charity  Pew,  a  daughter  of  Warren  Pew, 
who  removed  from  North  Carolina  to  Ken- 
tucky at  an  early  day.  Mrs.  Wilson  was 
born  in  the  latter  state.  May  29,  1832,  and 
was  brought  by  her  parents  to  Illinois  on 
the  13th  of  October,  1836.  They  located 
in  Dry  Grove  township,  where  the  father 
purchased  a  farm  which  he  cultivated  in 
addition  to  shoemaking  until  his  retirement 
from  business  life.  He  died  in  August, 
1865,  and  his  wife  passed  away  March  30, 
1873.  Their  daughter  Louisa  became  the 
wife  of  Stephen  McWhorter,  and  by  that 
marriage  had  one  son,  also  named  Stephen, 
who  is  now  one  of  the  prominent  citizens 
of  Omaha,  Nebraska,  and  the  treasurer  of 
the  State  Agricultural  Society. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  began  their  do- 
mestic life  upon  the  farm  which  has  since 
been  their  home,  and  by  their  united  labors 
have  made  it  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and 
desirable  country  seats  in  McLean  county. 


178 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Four  children  have  been  born  to  them: 
William  W. ,  who  is  now  connected  with  the 
ALtna.  Silk  Company,  of  Chicago;  Esther, 
now  the  wife  of  D.  M.  Davison,  of  Blooin- 
ington,  by  whom  she  has  two  children, 
Edith  E.  and  Edward  H. ;  and  Walter  C, 
who  is  still  at  home;  and  John  P.,  who  died 
August  8,  1S72. 

As  the  years  have  passed  and  Mr.  Wil- 
son has  successfully  prosecuted  his  labors 
he  has  been  enabled  to  add  to  his  posses- 
sions until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  three 
hundred  and  si.xty  acres  of  rich  and 
arable  land,  all  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation,  and  is  accounted  one  of  the 
most  diligent,  practical  and  enterprising 
agriculturists  of  the  community.  His  at- 
tention, however,  is  not  directed  entirely  in 
this  line,  as  he  has  found  time  to  faithfully 
serve  his  fellow  townsmen  in  public  office. 
He  has  been  township  collector,  was  asses- 
sor for  six  years,  and  was  five  times  elected 
justice  of  the  peace,  serving  fourteen  years. 
For  over  twenty  years  he  was  school  director 
and  the  cause  of  education  has  found  in 
him  a  warm  friend.  The  day  after  attain- 
ing his  majority  he  cast  his  first  vote  and 
since  that  time  has  missed  but  one  election. 
He  has  always  been  a  staunch  Republican, 
has  frequently  served  as  delegate  to  the 
conventions  and  was  in  one  convention  that 
voted  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  times  for 
Judge  Tipton.  He  was  one  of  the  early 
members  of  the  Grange,  and  he  and  his 
family  all  belong  to  the  Baptist  church  of 
Bloomington,  to  the  support  of  which  he 
contributes  liberally,  taking  an  active  part 
in  its  development  and  upbuilding.  He  is 
esteemed  as  one  of  the  most  reliable  farm- 
ers of  Dale  township  and  well  deserves 
representation  among  the  leading  citizens 
of  Dale  township. 


JAMES  T.  SANDERS,  a  well-known  real- 
estate  dealer  and  prominent  resident  of 
Bloomington,  Illinois,  was  born  in  Millers- 
burg,  Kentucky,  December  24,  1840,  and  is 
a  son  of  James  R.  and  Martha  (Smith) 
Sanders,  both  of  whom  are  now  deceased, 
the  former  dying  in  1872,  the  latter  in  1864, 
during  the  trying  days  of  the  civil  war. 
The  father  was  born  in  Grafton,  New 
Hampshire,  in  1799,  and  belonged  to  an 
old  New  England  family.  He  was  a  mer- 
chant and  land  owner.  The  paternal  grand- 
father, Ezra  Sanders,  was  a  life-long  resi- 
dent of  the  old  Granite  state,  and  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  while  the 
maternal  grandfather,  Alexander  Smith,  a 
farmer  of  Millersburg,  Kentucky,  was  a 
soldier  of  the  war  of  1812  and  a  son  of  a 
Revolutionary  hero.  He  was  a  Presbyterian 
in  religious  belief,  while  the  paternal  grand- 
father was  a  Swedenborgian,  and  the  par- 
ents were  members  of  the  Christian  church. 
Mr.  Sanders,  of  this  review,  acquired 
his  elementary  education  in  the  schools  of 
Millersburg,  and  later  was  a  student  in  the 
Kentucky  Wesleyan  University,  where  he 
was  graduated  in  1S59.  The  following  year 
he  came  to  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  where  he 
learned  telegraphy,  and  continued  to  follow 
it  until  1883,  being  located  for  two  years  in 
Joliet,  the  same  length  of  time  at  Towanda, 
and  for  twenty-five  years  in  Delavan,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  had  charge  of  all  the  Chicago 
&  Alton  Railroad  business  and  of  the  West- 
ern Union  Telegraph  Company.  He  was 
one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Delavan 
Homestead  Building  &  Loan  Association, 
with  which  he  was  connected  until  leaving 
that  place,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
served  as  city  clerk.  For  the  past  eight 
years,  however,  he  has  been  successfully 
engaged  in   the   building   and  loan  business 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


179 


in  Bloomington,  and  is  interested  in  other 
business  enterprises.  In  his  undertakings 
he  has  met  with  well-merited  success,  and 
is  to-day  one  of  the  substantial  and  reliable 
citizens  of  that  place.  He  was  made  a 
Mason  in  Delavan  Lodge  in  1872. 

On  the  19th  of  September,  1867,  Mr. 
Sanders  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Sue  A.  Pike,  of  Bloomington,  and  to  them 
were  born  four  children,  two  of  whom  are 
now  deceased:  Augusta  died  in  infancy  in 
1870;  Bernadine  M.,  was  born  November 
28,  1878,  died  on  Memorial  day,  1894. 
Harold  Pike,  born  November  7,  1871,  was 
educated  in  the  Delavan  schools  and  the 
Normal,  Illinois,  high  school,  now  with  the 
Wells  Fargo  Express  Company  in  Chicago. 
Royal  W. ,  born  March  25,  1873,  was  edu- 
cated in  Delavan  schools  and  was  one  of  the 
youngest  students  who  ever  graduated  at 
the  State  Normal  University,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  class  of  1892,  when  only  nineteen 
years  of  age.  He  is  now  professor  of  math- 
ematics and  history  of  the  Bloomington  high 
school.  He  entered  West  Point  Military 
Academy  on  competitive  examination  in 
1894,  but  came  home  on  account  of  the 
death  of  his  only  sister.  Being  refused  a 
re-appointment  he  lost  the  advantage  of  a 
military  education.  He  was  married  Sep- 
tember 2,  1897,  to  Miss  Delia  Soverns,  of 
Bloomington. 

Mrs.  Sanders  was  born  in  Casco,  Cum- 
berland county,  Maine,  March  25,  1S42,  a 
daughter  of  Harrison  W.  and  Susan  A.  (May- 
berry)  Pike.  Her  paternal  grandfather  was 
Noah  Pike,  farmer  of  Fryeburg,  Maine,  and 
a  descent  of  John  Pike,  who  came  from 
England  to  America  in  1637  and  located  at 
Limerick,  Maine.  The  father  was  born  in 
Eryeburg,  August  19,  1803,  and  was  one  of 
^  family  of  twenty-four  children,  nearly  all 


of  whom  lived  to  old  age.  He  was  a  very 
strong  and  practical  man,  as  well  as  a  shrewd 
and  capable  business  man,  and  was  wholly 
self-educated.  On  Mayberry  Hill,  Cumber- 
land county,  Maine,  he  was  married  Octo- 
ber I,  1837,  to  Miss  Susan  A.  Mayberry, 
who  was  born  February  3,  18 13,  a  daughter 
of  Edward  and  Mary  (Johnson)  Mayberry. 
Her  grandfather.  Captain  Richard  May- 
berry, served  with  distinction  as  an  officer 
in  the  Revolutionary  war;  his  record  is  found 
in  the  Lexington  Alarm.  The  family  is  an 
early  and  prominent  one  in  New  England. 
Harrison  W.  Pike  owned  and  operated  a 
farm  in  Casco,  Maine,  until  he  and  his  wife, 
accompanied  by  their  seven  small  children, 
came  to  Bloomington,  Illinois,  in  1854. 
Two  brothers,  Meshech  and  Theophilus, 
also  came  with  him.  Here  he  engaged  in 
general  merchandising  and  speculating  and 
met  with  excellent  success.  He  was  one  of 
the  honored  pioneers  and  highly  respected 
citizens  of  Bloomington.  His  family  at- 
tended the  Unitarian  church.  He  died 
June  2,  1877,  his  wife  February  12,  1878. 
In  their  family  were  seven  children,  all  of 
whom  were  educated  here.  They  are  as 
follows:  Noah  H.,  Sue  A.,  Ivory  H.,  Al- 
pheus  H.,  Anna  M.  and  Mary  A.  All  of  the 
sons  were  soldiers  of  the  Civil  war.  Alpheus 
H.  was  the  youngest  soldier,  so  far  as  the 
records  show,  who  enlisted  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war,  being  only  fourteen  years  of  age; 
he  enlisted  at  the  beginning  of  the  strife 
and  carried  a  musket  all  through  that  strug- 
gle. He  was  for  seven  months  incarcerated 
in  Andersonville  and  other  war  prisons, 
while  Ivory  H. ,  now  a  resident  of  Chicago, 
was  in  the  same  prisons  eleven  months. 
Alpheus  H.,  died  suddenly  in  the  fall  of 
1892,  from  the  effects  of  his  prison  life,  then 
drawing  a  pension  of  $2  a  month. 


I  So 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Mrs.  Sanders  began  her  education  in 
the  schools  of  Casco,  Maine,  and  after  com- 
ing west  with  the  family  attended  the 
Bloomington  schools  and  the  State  Normal 
University,  after  which  she  taught  success- 
fully for  six  years,  the  latter  part  of  the 
time  being  employed  in  the  schools  of 
Bloomington.  After  marriage,  while  resid- 
ing in  Delavan,  her  time  was  principally 
occupied  by  home  duties,  but  she  has 
always  been  more  or  less  prominently  iden- 
tified with  public  affairs  along  certain  lines. 
She  is  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star,  hav- 
ing been  state  treasurer  of  the  same 
for  twelve  consecutive  years;  also  state 
treasurer  of  the  \^'oman's  Relief  Corps  for 
one  year;  later  state  president  of  that  or- 
ganization for  one  year;  at  the  reunion  of 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  held  at  De- 
troit, Mich.,  in  1S91,  she  was  elected  na- 
tional president  of  the  order.  One  year 
later  presided  over  the  ever  memorable  con- 
vention held  at  Washington,  D.  C. ;  she 
was  grand  vice  templar  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Good  Templars  in  1865-6-7,  the 
highest  office  a  woman  could  hold  in  that 
order  at  that  time.  She  has  always  taken 
considerable  interest  in  school  work  and 
everything  tending  toward  reform;  but  on 
coming  to  Bloomington,  November,  1892, 
she  determined  to  keep  out  of  public  office. 
This  she  could  not  well  do,  as  the  people 
knew  her  ability  as  a  leader  and  the  success 
with  which  she  always  met  in  the  manage- 
ment of  public  affairs.  Her  first  public 
work  here  was  in  connection  with  the  With- 
er's  public  library  as  a  trustee,  and  in  1894 
she  was  elected  its  president,  which  office 
she  most  efficiently  filled  for  three  years, 
and  is  now  serving  as  secretary  of  the  same. 
It  is  one  of  the  finest  libraries  in  the  country 
^.nd  has  an  income  of  seven  thousand  dollars 


a  year.  Mrs.  Sanders  has  become  actively 
interested  in  the  Girls'  Industrial  home  of 
McLean  county,  for  the  care  of  dependent 
and  defenseless  girls.  When  she  became 
connected  with  it,  it  was  not  in  a  very  pros- 
perous condition,  being  twenty-five  hundred 
dollars  in  debt.  She  accepted  the  position  of 
president  under  protest,  but  knowing  the  in- 
stitution needed  heraid,  she  served  as  such  for 
three  years  and  only  resigned  to  accept  the 
office  of  secretary — a  position  hardest  to  fill. 
It  has  steadily  prospered  under  her  able 
management,  and  to-day  the  home  has 
three  acres  of  ground  belonging  to  it,  all  of 
which  is  valued  at  ten  thousand  dollars. 
At  present  it  has  twenty-five  inmates,  and 
many  unfortunate  girls  have  been  adopted 
into  good  families  through  its  influence. 
Being  possessed  of  good  business  and  execu- 
tive ability,  she  has  brought  the  home  its 
present  success.  In  April,  1898,  Mrs. 
Sanders  was  elected  a  member  of  the  city 
board  of  education,  to  the  duties  of  which 
she  is  now  giving  special  attention,  that  she 
may  be  able  to  meet  all  criticisms  and  suc- 
cessfully fill  the  duties  and  obligations  of  the 
position.  She  is  a  prominent  member  of 
the  McLean  County  Historical  Society  and 
has  lately  prepared  for  the  association  a 
complete  account  of  the  work  of  the  Sani- 
tary Aid  Society  of  this  county,  from  1861  to 
1866,  or  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 
She  is  also  a  member  of  the  Daughters  of 
the  Revolution  and  of  the  Woman's  Club, 
of  which  she  is  first  vice-president  and  a 
member  of  the  executive  board.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sanders  attend  and  help  support  the 
Unitarian  church,  of  which  she  is  a  member, 
and  in  which  she  has  served  as  superintend- 
ent of  the  Sunday-school  for  three  years. 
She  is  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  trus- 
tees of  the   Deaconess  Hospital.      She  has 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


i8r 


the  credit  of  being  the  originator  of  placing 
a  flag  in  every  school  house,  hers  the  first 
school  to  have  a  flag  wave  in  McLean  county. 
The  legislature  changed  the  plan  to  putting 
it  on  the  outside,  which  law  was  later  re- 
pealed. She  also  recommended  at  Wash- 
ington, in  her  annual  address  to  the  National 
Womans'  Relief  Corps,  that  it  be  on  every 
ballot  box  and  on  every  pulpit  in  the  land, 
believing  that  the  Bible,  ballot  box  and  flag 
should  always  go  together. 


WILLIAM  R.  BACH.  Not  by  gift  or 
purchase,  or  by  influence  can  one  rise 
at  the  bar,  but  solely  by  merit  must  he  gain 
his  reputation,  his  ability  winning  him  great- 
ness and  enabling  him  to  pass  on  the  highway 
of  life  many  who  perhaps  had  accomplished  a 
part  of  the  journey  ere  he  started  out.  Al- 
though still  a  young  man,  Mr.  Bach  has  al- 
ready arisen  to  a  position  of  prominence  in 
the  legal  profession,  and  is  now  most  credit- 
ably and  satisfactorily  serving  as  city  attor- 
ney for  Bloomington. 

He  was  born  in  that  city,  December  lo, 
1 87 1,  and  is  a  representative  of  a  prominent 
German  family.  His  father,  William  Bach, 
was  born  near  Stuttgart,  province  of  Wur- 
temburg,  Germany,  February  26,  1829,  a 
son  of  Rev.  Frederick  Bach,  a  Lutheran 
minister,  who  spent  his  entire  life  in  that 
country.  In  his  native  city,  the  father  of 
our  subject  grew  to  manhood  and  was  pro- 
vided with  excellent  educational  advantages, 
attended  the  gymnasium  and  the  University 
of  Stuttgart.  When  a  young  man  of  twenty 
years,  he  came  alone  to  America,  on  ac- 
count of  his  political  beliefs,  being  one  of 
those  who  were  known  as  the  "  forty- 
piners "    who   came   to   this   country  from 


Germany.  He  was  of  a  free  disposition 
and  could  not  tolerate  the  form  of  govern- 
ment there  existing.  He  located  first  in 
Philadelphia,  where  he  at  once  became 
connected  with  newspaper  work,  as  a  print- 
er in  the  lithographing  department,  and 
soon  learned  the  trade.  There  he  married 
Miss  Sophia  Ivoehler,  who  was  born  in 
Gelnhausen,  Germany,  October  9,  1836, 
and  when  three  years  old  came  with  her 
parents,  Conrad  and  Sophia  Koehler,  to 
America,  settling  in  Philadelphia.  Later 
her  father  came  to  Bloomington,  Illinois, 
being  one  of  the  first  Germans  to  locate 
here,  where  he  lived  until  his  death.  Leav- 
ing his  wife  and  three  children,  Mr.  Bach 
enlisted  in  the  Third  Pennsylvania  Heavy 
Artillery  during  the  civil  war  and  was  in 
the  service  for  three  years  and  a  half,  being 
most  of  the  time  at  the  navy  yard  at  For- 
tress Monroe.  After  the  close  of  the  war, 
he  started  westward,  finally  locating  at 
Bloomington  in  1869.  He  is  a  man  of  con- 
siderable breadth  of  knowledge,  having  com- 
menced the  study  of  law  after  leaving  col- 
lege, but  he  became  so  disgusted  with  the 
laws  of  his  native  land,  that  he  left  home, 
wealth  and  everything  to  become  a  citizen 
of  a  free  country.  He  is  a  broad  minded 
and  intelligent  man  and  has  for  thirty  years 
been  connected  with  the  Bloomington  Pan- 
tagraph.  He  has  been  a  Republican  in 
politics  since  casting  his  first  vote  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  in  1S60,  but  has  never  been  an 
aspirant  for  office.  He  was  reared  in  the 
Lutheran  faith,  but  attends  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  in  which  his  wife  and 
family  hold  membership.  There  are  four 
children:  Mrs.  Louisa  Kreiter,  of  Chicago; 
Emma,  who  is  connected  with  Wilcox 
Brothers  dry-goods  store,  Bloomington; 
Fred,  who  has  been  >yith   the   P^ntagraph 


I»2 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


for  twenty-five  years;  and  William  R.,  our 
subject. 

During  liis  boyliood  and  youth  William 
R.  Bacli  attended  the  public  and  high 
schools  of  Bloomington,  graduating  from 
the  latter  in  the  class  of  1889  with  high 
honors.  While  in  school  he  supported  him- 
self, and  it  can  be  truthfully  said  of  him 
that  he  is  a  self-made  man.  After  his 
graduation  he  entered  the  postal  service  in 
the  Bloomington  post-office,  where  he  served 
for  four  years. 

After  giving  up  that  position  he  entered 
the  Wesleyan  Law  School,  where  he  was 
graduated  in  1894,  with  the  degree  of 
LL.  B.  During  the  two  years  he  spent  in 
that  institution  he  was  examined  six  times, 
and  in  all  but  one  of  these  he  stood  the 
highest  in  the  class,  being  beaten  at  that 
time  by  his  present  partner,  Mr.  Livingston. 
This  partnership  was  formed  in  1894,  and 
for  young  men  they  have  been  remarkably 
successful.  Besides  having  a  good  general 
practice,  they  are  attorneys  for  the  Third 
National  Bank,  and  for  the  county  treasurer 
and  county  sheriff.  They  have  tried  many 
important  cases,  in  most  of  which  they  have 
been  successful.  In  1897,  and  again  in 
1899,  Mr.  Bach  was  elected  city  attorney 
by  large  majorities  over  his  competitors, 
and  his  duties  in  that  position  have  been 
most  arduous  on  account  of  the  reorganiza- 
tion of  the  city  under  general  law  just  be- 
fore he  came  into  office.  He  has  defended 
many  cases  of  damages  against  the  city,  and 
has  succeeded  in  defending  the  corporation 
from  unjust  claims  and  reducing  others  to 
small  amounts.  He  is  the  youngest  man 
ever  elected  to  the  office  he  is  now  so  ably 
filling. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  1898,  Mr.  Bach 
was    united    in    marriage    with  Miss  Lelia 


Frances  Means,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  C. 
Means,  county  treasurer  of  McLean  county. 
On  both  sides  she  is  descended  from  hon- 
ored pioneer  families.  Among  her  ances- 
tors were  those  who  fought  for  the  freedom 
of  the  colonies,  and  she  is  now  a  member 
of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion. Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bach  are  active 
members  of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  Bloomington,  and  he  is  a  member 
of  the  official  board  and  treasurer  of  the  Sun- 
day-school, while  she  is  a  teacher  in  the  lat- 
ter. Politically  he  is  an  active  worker  in  the 
ranks  of  the  Republican  party,  and  socially 
is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  being  a  district  deputy  grand 
chancellor  with  supervision  over  a  number 
of  lodges,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America;  Bloomington 
Lodge  400,  I.  O.  O.  F. ;  Custer  Company, 
U.  R.  K.  of  K. ;  Bloomington  Lodge,  No. 
43,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Bloomington  Chapter,  No. 
26,  R.  A.  M.;and  De  Molay  Commandery, 
No.  24,  K.  T.  Mr.  Bach  has  certainly  a 
brilliant  future  before  him. 


REV.  SYLVESTER  PEASLEY.  We 
are  now  permitted  to  touch  briefly 
upon  the  life  history  of  one  who  has  re- 
tained a  personal  association  with  the  affairs 
of  McLean  county  since  its  early  pioneer 
days,  and  one  whose  ancestral  line  traces  back 
the  colonial  epoch.  His  life  has  been  one 
of  honest  and  earnest  endeavor  and  due 
success  has  not  been  denied  him. 

This  honored  pioneer  and  prominent 
citizen  of  Randolph  township,  whose  home  is 
on  section  24,  was  born  in  Grayson  county, 
Virginia,  August  31,  1823,  but  has  made 
his  home  in  this  county  since  the  3d  of  No- 
vember,  1834.     His  father,  Isaac  Peasley, 


REV.   SYLVESTER   PEASLEY. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


185 


was  a  native  of  Wilkes  county,  North  Caro- 
lina, and  was  a  son  of  John  Peasley,  a 
Revolutionary  hero,  who  was  born  in  Guil- 
ford county,  North  Carolina,  but  at  an  early 
day  removed  to  Wilkes  county.  On  reach- 
ing man's  estate,  Isaac  Peasley  left  the 
county  of  his  nativity  and  went  to  Vir- 
ginia, where  he  wedded  Miss  Rachel  Hal- 
sey,  who  was  born  on  the  farm  where  their 
marriage  was  celebrated.  Her  father,  Will- 
iam Halsey,  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey, 
and  was  also  one  of  the  soldiers  who 
fought  so  valiantly  for  American  independ- 
ence in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

For  several  years  after  his  marriage, 
Isaac  Peasley  continued  to  follow  farming 
in  Virginia,  where  three  of  his  children  v^fe 
born,  and  in  1834,  with  a  four-horse  team 
and  wagon  started  for  Illinois,  accompanied 
by  his  family.  Finally  after  a  long  and 
tedious  journey  they  arrived  in  Randolph 
township  on  the  3d  of  November.  For  two 
years  Mr.  Peasley  rented  a  farm  of  Jesse 
Funk,  and  then  purchased  sixty  acres  lying 
partly  within  Downs  and  the  remainder  in 
Randolph  township.  This  was  composed  of 
forty  acres  of  prairie  land  and  twenty  acres 
of  timber.  In  November,  1836,  with  the 
assistance  of  his  neighbors  for  miles  around, 
he  built  a  log  cabin  on  the  prairie,  with  an 
open  fire  place,  stick  chimney,  clay  jams 
and  clapboard  roof.  The  family  moved  in 
before  the  chimney  was  constructed  higher 
than  the  jams,  and  the  following  night 
there  was  a  snow  and  sleet  storm,  after 
which  it  turned  cold  very  suddenly  and 
everything  froze  solid.  The  next  morning 
the  trees,  bushes,  grasses  and  everything 
was  loaded  down  with  glistening  ice,  making 
a  beautiful  sight,  and  Mr.  Peasley  remarked 
that  it  looked  like  the  scenery  in  polar 
regions.     As  time  passed  he  added  to  his 


original  purchase  until  he  had  over  four 
hundred  acres  of  fine  farming  land  which 
he  placed  under  excellent  cultivation,  and 
upon  that  farm  continued  to  make  his  home 
until  called  from  this  life  in  185 1.  His 
worthy  wife  survived  him  a  number  of 
years. 

Sylvester  Peasley  was  a  lad  of  eleven 
years  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Illi- 
nois, and  he  contributed  his  share  to  the 
work  of  improving  and  cultivating  the  home 
farm,  his  educational  privileges  being  neces- 
sarily limited,  as  there  were  few  schools  in 
this  region  at  that  time.  He  remained  with 
his  father  until  the  latter's  death,  though  he 
had  previously  purchased  an  improved  and 
'  ■ardioining  farm.  On  the  4th  of  November, 
iS^-y;  m  Randolph  township,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  Stillman,  who 
was  born  and  reared  in  Hunterdon  county, 
New  Jersey,  and  came  to  this  county  at  an 
early  day  with  her  father,  Joseph  Stillman. 
For  a  year  the  young  couple  made  their 
home  with  Mr.  Stillman  and  then  located 
on  our  subject's  land,  to  the  further  im- 
provement and  cultivation  of  which  he  de- 
voted his  energies  for  many  years.  He 
bought  more  land  and  still  owns  two  hun- 
dred acres  there,  upon  which  he  set  out  one 
of  the  first  orchards  in  the  county;  also 
planted  small  fruits  and  ornamental  trees 
and  erected  commodious  and  substantial 
buildings,  making  it  one  of  the  best  im- 
proved places  of  Downs  township.  There 
he  made  his  home  from  1843  until  1895,  a 
period  of  fifty-two  years.  He  has  given 
considerable  attention  to  the  breeding  of 
and  dealing  in  pure-blooded  short-horn 
cattle  and  Poland  China  hogs,  and  is  also 
interested  in  feeding  other  cattle  and  hogs 
for  the  market.  The  trees  that  he  set  out 
upon  his  first  farm  are   now  two  feet  and  a 


1 86 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


half  in  diameter.  He  is  the  owner  of 
another  valuable  and  well-improved  farm  of 
two  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  upon  which 
he  built  a  beautiful  modern  residence  in 
1895 — one  of  the  best  in  Randolph  town- 
ship— and  there  he  has  since  made  his  home, 
surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  and  many 
of  the  luxuries  of  life,  which  have  been  ob- 
tained through  his  own  well-directed  and 
energetic  efforts.  He  started  out  in  life  for 
himself  a  poor  boy,  and  for  seven  years 
worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  Jesse  Funk,  at 
first  only  receiving  six  dollars  per  month. 
By  strict  economj',  fair  dealing  and  unre- 
mitting labor,  however,  he  has  become  one 
of  the  most  substantial  and  prosperous 
citizens  of  his  community,  and  is  now  the 
owner  of  two  valuable  farms. 

Mr.  Peasley  lost  his  first  wife  in  1863. 
To  them  were  born  five  children,  namely: 
Granville,  who  is  now  engaged  in  farming 
upon  the  old  place  in  Downs  township; 
Susan,  deceased  wife  of  Eli  Barton;  Isaac, 
who  assists  in  the  operation  of  the  home 
farm;  John,  who  follows  farming  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Downs  township;  and  Mrs. 
Hester  C.  Johnson,  deceased.  In  Downs 
township  Mr.  Peasley  was  again  married,  in 
April,  1865,  his  second  wife  being  Mrs. 
Susan  Crosby,  ncc  Barclay.  She  was  born 
in  Mason  county,  Kentucky,  where  she  first 
married  Andrew  Crosby,  who  died  there, 
leaving  four  children:  William,  a  farmer  of 
Downs  township;  Nancy,  wife  of  James 
Duckett,  of  Lyon  county,  Kansas;  Harriet, 
widow  of  Findley  Horner,  and  a  resident  of 
Fonda,  Iowa;  and  James  N.,  who  is  with 
his  mother.  By  the  second  marriage  there 
was  one  daughter,  Ella,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  three  years. 

Politically,  Mr.  Peasley  was  a  Jef^er- 
sonian  Democrat  and  east  his  first  presiden- 


tial vote  for  James  K.  Polk,  in  1844,  but  in 
1856  he  supported  John  C.  Fremont  and 
has  since  been  an  ardent  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party  and  its  principles,  having 
never  missed  a  presidential  election  since 
attaining  his  majority.  He  has  ever  taken 
quite  an  active  interest  in  local  politics  and 
has  served  in  a  number  of  positions  of  honor 
and  trust.  He  was  the  first  postmaster  of 
Downs,  which  office  he  filled  for  some  years; 
was  a  member  of  the  honorable  county 
board  of  supervisors  fifteen  years  and  presi- 
dent of  the  same  two  years,  and  also  served 
on  a  great  many  important  committees,  be- 
ing chairman  of  the  one  that  erected  the 
soldiers'  monument.  For  some  years  he 
was  township  trustee,  a  member  of  the 
school  board  and  president  of  the  district, 
and  has  been  a  delegate  to  numerous 
county,  state  and  congressional  conven- 
tions. His  public  as  well  as  his  private 
duties  have  always  been  most  faithfully  and 
conscientiously  discharged,  winning  the  com- 
mendation of  all  concerned.  He  was  one 
of  the  originators  and  organizers  of  the 
Bloomington  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Com- 
pany; has  held  the  position  of  president 
since  the  start,'  and  has  signed  all  the  im- 
portant papers  and  policies  of  this  company 
for  twenty-two  years.  Under  his  able  man- 
agement it  has  become  one  of  the  most 
solid  and  successful  fire  insurance  com- 
panies of  the  county.  Always  a  consistent 
Christian  gentleman,  Mr.  Peasley  was  or- 
dained a  minister  of  the  Baptist  cuurch 
when  a  young  man  and  engaged  in  preach- 
ing a  number  of  years,  having  pastoral 
charge  of  five  churches  at  different  times, 
but  was  forced  to  give  it  up  on  accouut  of 
throat  trouble,  though  he  still  takes  an 
active  interest  in  church  work.  His  con- 
tact with  his  fellow  men  has  broadened  his 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


187 


nature  and  views,  if  such  were  possible;  and 
hale,  hearty  and  vigorous  at  over  three- 
score years  and  ten,  his  faculties  undimmed, 
his  physique  but  little  impaired,  many  years 
of  undiminished  usefulness  yet  seem  before 
him.  Such  men  are  rare  and  the  world  is 
not  slow  to  appreciate  them.  It  is  safe  to 
say  that  no  man  in  his  community  has  more 
or  warmer  friends  than  this  honored  pioneer. 


HON.  GEORGE  W.  STUBBLEFIELD. 
The  history  of  mankind  is  replete 
with  illustrations  of  the  fact  that  it  is  only 
under  the  pressure  of  adversity  and  the 
stimulus  of  opposition  that  the  best  and 
strongest  in  men  are  brought  out  and  de- 
veloped. Perhaps  the  history  of  no  people 
so  forcibly  impresses  one  with  this  truth  as 
the  annals  of  our  own  Republic;  and  cer- 
tainly Illinois  has  many  representatives  of 
this  class — men  who  have  started  out  in  life 
with  little  or,  at  best,  limited  capital  and 
have  worked  their  way  upward  until  they 
control  extensive  business  interests  and 
thereby  not  only  advance  individual  pros- 
perity, but  also  promote  the  general  wel- 
fare. This  Mr.  Stubblefield  has  done,  and 
his  determined  purpose,  laudable  ambition, 
honorable  methods  and  unflagging  enter- 
prise have  brought  to  him  brilliant  success, 
which  is  well  merited.  One  of  McLean 
county's  native  sons,  he  is  now  a  leading 
and  influential  citizen  of  Bloomington  and 
has  gained  distinction  not  only  in  commer- 
cial life,  but  also  as  a  representative  of  the 
political  interests  of  his  community. 

Mr.  Stubblefield  traces  his  ancestry  back 
to  New  England,  where  the  family  was 
founded  at  an  early  day  in  the  history  of 
America.  His  great-grandfather  com- 
manded a  Vermont  regiment  in  the  Revolu- 


tionary war,  and  with  his  brave  "Green 
Mountain  Boys  "  did  effective  service  for  the 
cause  of  liberty.  The  grandfather,  Robert 
Stubblefield,  was  born  in  Halifax  county, 
Virginia,  and  loyally  served  his  country  in 
the  war  of  1812.  He  afterward  located  in 
Fayette  county,  Ohio,  where  he  wedded 
Miss  Mary  Funk,  and  after  the  birth  of 
their  four  children  she  died.  He  then  mar- 
ried her  sister,  Sarah  Funk,  and  they  emi- 
grated to  McLean  county,  Illinois,  in  1824. 
They  became  the  parents  of  eight  children. 
Numbered  among  the  pioneees  of  this 
region  they  were  forced  to  endure  all  the 
trials  and  hardships  which  go  to  make  up 
life  in  a  frontier  region.  The  grandfather, 
however,  became  one  of  the  extensive  land- 
owners of  the  county,  his  realty  possessions 
aggregating  two  thousand  acres.  He  held 
membership  in  the  First  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  at  Funk's  Grove,  and  pre- 
vious to  his  arrival  in  this  state  was  con- 
nected with  that  denomination. 

John  Stubblefield,  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Fayette  county,  Ohio,  in  1820, 
and  was  only  four  years  old  when  brought 
by  his  parents  to  this  county.  The  Stub- 
blefields  were  the  second  family  to  locate 
at  Funks  Grave,  where  amid  the  wild 
scenes  of  pioneer  life  John  Stubblefield  was 
reared.  He  aided  in  the  arduous^  task  of 
developing  new  land,  and  after  attaining  to 
man's  estate  began  farming  on  his  own 
account,  which  occupation  he  successfully 
followed  for  many  years.  He  married  Elli- 
sannah  Howser  and  remained  upon  the  farm 
until  the  death  of  his  wife,  which  occurred 
in  1896.  Since  that  time  he  has  lived  a  re- 
tired life,  having  acquired  a  competence 
that  supplies  all  his  wants.  He  has  been 
recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  and  influ- 
ential citizens  of  the  community  for  more 


i88 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


than  half  a  century,  has  held  many  town- 
ship offices,  including  those  of  supervisor 
and  treasurer,  and  filled  the  latter  position 
for  thirty  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  has  served  as 
class  leader  for  many  years  and  has  been 
very  active  in  the  church  work  and  a  liberal 
contributor  to  its  support.  In  his  family 
were  eight  children. 

George  W.  Stubblefield,  whose  name 
introduces  this  review,  was  born  at  Funks 
Grove,  January  2,  1849,  and  there  acquired 
his  preliminary  education,  which  was  sup- 
plemented by  a  course  in  the  Illinois  Wes- 
leyan  University,  of  Bloomington.  Thus 
fitted  to  meet  the  duties  of  life,  he  entered 
upon  his  business  career  as  an  importer  of 
horses.  In  this  business  he  was  associated 
with  his  father.  He  was  the  second  man 
to  bring  imported  horses  into  McLean 
county,  and  he  made  eighteen  trips  to 
France  to  make  purchases.  Thus  in  con- 
nection with  his  father,  he  engaged  exten- 
sively in  the  breeding  and  sale  of  fine  Perche- 
ron  and  coach  horses,  and  developed  an 
extensive  stock  farm,  which  they  conducted 
until  1894.  They  became  known  to  stock 
dealers  throughout  this  section  of  the  coun- 
try, and  the  high  grade  of  their  horses  was 
shown  by  the  many  premiums  which  they 
won  on  them  at  the  county  and  state  fairs. 

Our  subject,  however,  is  a  man  of  re- 
sourceful business  ability,  and  his  energies 
have  been  devoted  to  many  enterprises 
which  have  been  crowned  with  a  high  de- 
gree of  success.  While  conducting  his  stock 
farm  he  maintained  his  residence  in  the  city 
and  conducted  a  jewelry  store  from  1880 
until  1892,  enjoying  a  large  trade.  He  also 
established  a  livery  stable,  and  erected  a 
large  brick  building  to  serve  as  a  feed  and 
sale  barn.     This  has  also  been  a  profitable 


investment,  and  he  now  has  a  very  large 
patronage.  In  1886  he  purchased  the  Waite 
House  and  has  since  engaged  in  the  hotel 
business.  This  house  has  been  one  of  the 
leading  features  of  the  city  for  forty  years, 
and  is  most  popular  not  only  with  the  trav- 
eling public,  but  is  also  headquarters  for 
farming  and  stockmen.  It  is  conducted 
after  the  most  approved  manner  of  modern 
hostelries,  every  modern  convenience  may 
there  be  found,  and  the  business  enjoyed  by 
the  hotel  is  very  large. 

Mr.  Stubblefield  has  also  been  connected 
with  many  interests  of  a  public  character, 
which  have  proven  of  benefit  to  the  city. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  trustees  of  the  Dea- 
coness Hospital,  and  has  since  served  in 
that  capacity.  He  was  chairman  of  the 
building  committee  when  the  structure 
was  erected  in  1896,  at  a  cost  of  eight 
thousand  dollars,  and  has  ever  labored  for 
the  promotion  of  the  noble  and  humane 
work  carried  on  by  the  institution.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  the  building  com- 
mittee and  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
Colesium, — a  large  armory  drill  hall,  also 
used  for  public  meetings  and  having  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  four  thousand.  It  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars  by  a  private  corporation,  and  largely 
resulted  from  the  enterprising  and  public- 
spirited  efforts  of  Mr.  Stubblefield,  who  re- 
cognizing Bloomington's  need  of  a  large 
assembly  hall,  set  to  work  to  secure  it. 

In  his  political  affiliations  he  has  always 
been  a  stanch  Republican,  active  in  sup- 
port of  the  party,  and  has  been  chair- 
man of  the  party  organization  in  his  ward. 
He  keeps  well  informed  on  the  issues  of  the 
day,  and  is  therefore  able  to  meet  in  argu- 
ment those  politically  opposed  to  him.  In 
1896  he  was  elected   to  represerit  McLean 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


189 


county  in  the  state  senate,  and  has  been  a 
very  prominent  member  of  the  assembly. 
He  served  as  chairman  of  the  committee 
on  penal  institutions,  in  connection  with 
which  he  did  much  work  for  the  state 
prisons  and  reform  school.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  railroad  committee,  and  intro- 
duced the  two-cent-fare  bill  with  the  result 
that  the  railroads  compromised  by  placing 
the  rebate  at  two  cents  a  mile  on  the  mar- 
ket. He  was  also  actively  interested  in 
other  bills,  and  ably  represented  his  constit- 
uents and  the  interests  of  the  common- 
wealth. 

On  the  6th  of  June,  1888,  Mr.  Stubble- 
field  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Bettie 
M.  Stewart,  daughter  of  John  S.  Savery,  of 
Bloomington.  She  is  a  most  estimable 
lady  and  holds  membership  in  the  Chris- 
tian church.  Mr.  Stubblefield  belongs  to 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  is  an 
exemplary  member  of  Remembrance  Lodge, 
No.  TT,  I.  O.  O.  F.  He  has  filled  all  the 
chairs  in  that  order;  has  been  a  represent- 
ative to  the  grand  lodge;  deputy  in  the 
McLean  Encampment,  and  has  held  all 
the  offices  in  that  organization.  He  is  one 
of  the  trustees  of  the  Odd  Fellows'  building, 
which  was  erected  by  the  lodge,  which  is 
one  of  the  wealthiest  in  the  state.  He  is  a 
charter  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen 
Camp,  of  Bloomington,  was  one  of  its  first 
officers  and  has  at  different  times  filled  all 
of  its  official  positions.  He  is  also  a  charter 
member  of  Towanda  Tribe  of  Red  Men, 
and  belongs  to  George  Rogers  Clark  Chap- 
ter, No.  2,  Sons  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion, of  which  he  was  the  first  treasurer. 
In  all  the  relations  of  life  he  has  been 
true  and  faithful  to  the  trust  reposed  in 
him,  having  a  broad  public  spirit  and  deep 
interest  in  humanity  that  prompts  his  active 


service  in  behalf  of  the  general  welfare 
and  of  his  fellow  men.  His  life  has  been 
one  of  honest  effort  and  earnest  endeavor 
and  due  success  has  not  been  denied  him. 
A  man  of  unswerving  integrity  and  honor, 
one  who  has  a  perfect  appreciation  of  the 
higher  ethics  of  life,  he  has  gained  and  re- 
tained the  confidence  and  respect  of  his  fel- 
low men;  and  is  distinctively  one  of  the 
leading  citizens  of  Bloomington,  with  whose 
interests  he  has  been  so  long  identified. 


MILTON  HARNESS,  who  is  now  liv- 
ing a  retired  life  in  the  beautiful  city 
of  Lexington,  is  a  native  of  McLean  county, 
and  was  born,  June  17,  1844,  on  the  old  fam- 
ily homestead,  just  south  of  Lexington.  His 
father,  Isaac  Harness,  who  was  the  son  of 
Jacob  and  Christiana  (Smith)  Harness,  was 
born  in  Bourbon  county,  Kentucky,  near 
Cane  Ridge,  March  17,  181 1.  Jacob  Har- 
ness was  born  near  the  Potomac  river, 
Virginia,  and  was  a  son  of  Peter  Harness, 
who,  with  his  family,  removed  from  Vir- 
ginia to  Kentucky.  During  the  second  war 
with  Great  Britain,  in  1812,  he  served  his 
country  as  a  soldier  faithfully  and  well. 
He  remained  in  Kentucky  until  his  son 
Isaac  was  seventeen  years  old,  and  then 
with  his  family  removed  to  Fayette  county, 
Ohio,  locating  near  Washington  Court 
House.  His  father,  Peter  Harness,  had  pre- 
ceded him,  and  had  purchased  twelve  hun- 
dred acres  of  land,  which  he  proceeded  to 
divide  among  his  children,  giving  each  of 
his  sons  one  hundred  acres  of  timber  land. 
Jacob  at  once  commenced  to  clear  his  tract, 
and  in  due  time  had  established  a  com- 
fortable home,  and  where  his  children  were 
reared.  Later  he  removed  to  Indiana, 
and  located  on  the  Wolcott  prairie,  where 


igo 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


he  resided  some  years,  subsequently  coming 
to  McLean  county,  and  he  and  his  wife 
died  near  Lexington. 

Isaac  Harness  came  to  McLean  county 
in  1832,  and  was  joined  four  years  later  by 
his  parents,  who  located,  however,  in  Liv- 
ingston county,  on  the  Vermillion  river, 
near  Pontiac.  After  remaining  there  a 
few  years  they  came  to  McLean  county 
and  settled  on  a  farm  one  mile  south  of 
Lexington.  Isaac  Harness  was  very  suc- 
cessful in  all  his  business  undertakings,  and 
before  his  death  was  the  owner  of  three 
thousand  acres  of  land  in  McLean  county, 
in  addition  to  which  he  had  some  eleven 
or  twelve  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Mis- 
souri and  Kansas.  At  one  time  he  was 
extensively  engaged  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness with  Joseph  Greenbaum,  a  Jew,  hav- 
ing stores  in  Lexington  and  Pontiac.  In 
1867  he  organized  the  Lexington  Bank  and 
became  its  president. 

Isaac  Harness  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Elizabeth  Wiley,  and  twelve  chil- 
dren were  born  unto  them,  of  whom  seven 
grew  to  maturity,  six  yet  surviving:  Will- 
iam, a  farmer  and  capitalist  of  Lexington; 
Sarah,  wife  of  George  Vandolah,  of  Lex- 
ington; Adaline,  wife  of  B.  J.  Claggett,  of 
Lexington;  Caroline,  widow  of  W.  H.  Ken- 
nedy, formerly  cashier  of  the  Bank  of  Lex- 
ington; Milton,  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Emma,  wife  of  Merritt  Dawson,  of  Lexing- 
ton, and  Arabella,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-three  years.  The  remainder  died  in 
childhood. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  grew  to  man- 
hood on  his  father's  farm  near  Lexington, 
and  in  the  public  schools  of  the  township 
received  his  primary  education,  finishing  his 
education  in  Lombard  University,  Gales- 
burg,  Illinois.      On  attaining  his  majority  he 


commenced  farming  on  his  own  account  on 
land  deeded  him  by  his  father,  who  divided 
a  large  tract  of  land  among  his  children. 
On  the  24th  of  November,  1865,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Melissa  P. 
Kemp,  a  native  of  Harrison  county,  Ohio, 
born  September  24,  1845,  and  daughter  of 
John  G.  and  Margaret  (Bricker)  Kemp,  who 
were  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  ten  of 
whom  lived  to  maturity,  five  yet  surviving: 
Julia,  wife  of  Isaac  Young,  of  Gridley;  John 
J.,  of  Lexington;  Enoch,  of  El  Paso,  Illi- 
nois; Martha,  wife  of  W.  C.  Mack,  of  Lex- 
ington; and  Melissa,  wife  of  our  subject. 
The  parents  never  came  to  this  county,  but 
both  died  in  Ohio.  Three  of  their  sons, 
Shadrach,  George  and  John  J.,  came  to 
McLean  county  in  1852,  the  remainder  of 
the  family  coming  a  little  later,  Mrs.  Har- 
ness coming  when  she  was  but  eleven  years 
old.  She  made  her  home  with  her  brothers 
and  sisters  until  her  marriage. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harness  began  their  do- 
mestic life  on  a  part  of  his  father's  estate, 
in  a  little  log  house  on  the  Bloomington 
road,  and  there  remained  one  year  and  then 
moved  to  another  place.  They  continued 
to  reside  on  various  parts  of  the  home  farm 
until  taking  up  their  abode  in  their  present 
home.  In  his  farming  operations,  Mr.  Har- 
ness has  met  with  good  success,  giving  his 
attention  principally  to  stock  raising,  feed- 
ing and  shipping  about  ten  car-loads  of  cat- 
tle, and  several  hundred  head  of  hogs  per 
year. 

Two  daughters  came  to  bless  the  union 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harness.  The  eldest,  Lola 
May,  is  now  the  wife  of  Fremont  Hanson, 
and  they  have  two  children.  Pansy  May 
and  Cleon.  Mr.  Hanson  is  superintendent 
of  Swift's  Packing  Company,  of  St.  Louis, 
where    he    resides    with    his    family.       The 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


191 


youngest  daughter,  Georgia  D.,  yet  makes 
her  home  with  her  parents  in  Lexington. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Harness  is  a  Democrat, 
and  has  given  earnest  support  to  the  men 
and  measures  of  that  party  since  attaining 
his  majority.  He  has  never  been  an  office 
seeker,  however,  preferring  to  give  his  at- 
tention to  his  business  interests.  He  has 
lately  erected  an  elegant  home  in  the  south 
part  of  the  city,  one  of  the  finest  in  Lexing- 
ton, heated  by  a  furnace  and  lighted  by 
electricity,  and  withal  handsomely  furnished, 
showing  the  taste  of  its  cultured  occu- 
pants. Into  that  home  they  moved  on  the 
28th  of  March,  1898,  and  they  are  pleased 
to  entertain  their  many  friends  and  bestow 
that  genuine  hospitality  which  is  inherent 
in  those  coming  from  the  south,  or  who  are 
descendants  of  southern  people.  Their 
friends  are  many  in  both  McLean  and  Liv- 
ingston counties,  and  wherever  known  they 
held  in  the  highest  esteem. 


TOHN  ROBERT  GRAY.— It  is  an  im- 
»J  portant  duty  to  honor  and  perpetuate 
as  far  as  is  possible  the  memory  of  an  emi- 
nent citizen  —  one  who,  by  his  blameless  and 
honorable  life  and  distinguished  career,  re- 
flected credit  upon  his  city  and  state.  His 
example,  in  whatever  field  his  work  may 
have  been  done,  thus  stands  an  object  lesson 
to  those  who  come  after  him,  and  though 
dead  he  still  speaks.  Long  after  all  recol- 
lection of  his  personality  shall  have  faded 
from  the  minds  of  men,  the  less  perishable 
record  may  tell  the  story  of  his  life  and 
commend  his  example  for  imitation. 

Mr.  Gray,  now  deceased,  who  was  for 
some  years  one  of  the  ablest  instructors  in 
music  in  Illinois  and  one  of  the  founders  of 
the   Wesleyan    College  of    Music,    Bloom- 


ington,  was  born  in  Belleplain,  Marshall 
county,  Illinois,  February  13,  i860,  and 
died  March  19,  1893.  His  wonderful  abil- 
ity and  remarkable  qualities  were  just  be- 
ginning to  be  widely  known  and  respected 
when  his  career  was  terminated  by  death. 
His  early  youth  was  passed  upon  a  farm 
eight  miles  southeast  of  Lacon,  and  at  an 
early  age  he  manifested  a  taste  for  music, 
although  he  did  not  begin  the  serious  study 
of  the  art  until  he  came  to  Bloomington 
and  attended  the  Wesleyan  University, 
where  he  was  a  faithful  and  thorough  stu- 
dent during  the  college  years  of  1876  and 
1877.  Here  he  took  lessons  on  the  piano 
of  Mrs.  Flora  Hunter. 

On  the  26th  of  March,  1879,  Mr.  Gray 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary 
Emeline  Iliff,  who  was  his  constant  com- 
panion in  his  studies  and  was  associated 
with  him  in  his  success  as  a  musical  in- 
structor. In  1 88 1  they  went  to  Germany 
to  complete  their  musical  education,  and 
entered  the  Leipzig  Conservatory,  one  of 
the  finest  conservatories  in  the  world.  They 
remained  abroad  five  years  and  studied  un- 
der the  best  instructors.  In  piano  they 
were  under  the  instruction  of  Eibenschuetz, 
the  finest  pianist  the  conservatory  ever 
secured  as  a  member  of  its  faculty,  and 
also  studied  with  Weidenbeach,  whose  abil- 
ity to  impart  to  pupils  the  true  musical 
spirit  of  a  composition  has  never  been  sur- 
passed. Richter  and  Jadassohn,  teachers 
too  well  known  to  need  comment,  were 
their  instructors  in  harmony,  counterpoint, 
composition,  canon  and  fugue.  They  were 
graduated  in  the  spring  of  1886,  and  upon 
their  return  to  America  spent  some  time  in 
concert  work,  meeting  with  marked  appre- 
ciation and  success.  They  had  charge  of 
the  musical  department   of  Eureka  College 


192 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


for  a  year,  and  then  came  to  Bloomington 
to  direct  the  work  of  the  Illinois  College  of 
Music,  of  the  Wesleyan  University,  of 
which  Mr.  Gray  was  dean  for  two  years. 
It  was  then  consolidated  with  the  Bloom- 
ington Conservatory,  in  18S9,  under  the 
name  of  the  Wesleyan  College  of  Music, 
and  he  was  a  joint  director  with  Oliver  R. 
Skinner  until  his  death.  Through  their 
combined  efforts  the  school  gained  recogni- 
.tion  and  prestige  as  one  of  the  best  and 
most  thorough  institutions  of  the  kind  in 
the  state.  By  unanimous  action  of  the  col- 
lege board  Mrs.  Gray  was  appointed  to  fill 
the  place  of  her  deceased  husband. 

As  a  musician  Mr.  Gray  was  enthusiastic 
and  devoted  his  life  and  energies  to  his  pro- 
fession, being  a  most  thorough  and  con- 
scientious instructor.  A  work  on  harmony, 
published  just  before  his  death,  is  an  ex- 
haustive treatise,  presenting  the  matter  in 
a  condensed  and  concise  manner,  and  may 
be  considered  one  of  the  best  text  books  on 
the  subject  ever  written  by  an  American 
musician.  He  was  one  of  nature's  noble- 
men, respected  and  loved  by  all  who  be- 
came intimately  acquainted  with  him.  His 
character  was  above  reproach,  his  ideals 
were  high  and  noble,  and  the  world  is  cer- 
tainly better  for  his  having  lived. 

Mrs.  Gray  has  shown  herself  possessed 
in  a  high  degree  of  good  executive  ability, 
thorough  musical  knowledge,  true  teacher's 
instinct,  and  the  power  to  interest  and  hold 
her  pupils,  all  absolutely  essential  qualifica- 
tions for  so  responsible  a  position  as  she 
now  holds.  As  a  pianist  she  unites  a  bril- 
liant technique  with  a  sympathetic  interpre- 
tation. Her  pupils  become  thoroughly  im- 
bued with  her  love  of  music,  and  are  fired 
with  ambition  and  courage  to  press  on  to 
higher  attainments.      Many  of  her  graduates 


occupy  prominent  musical  positions  and  are 
known  as  thorough  musicians  and  teachers. 
She  does  not  rest  on  past  laurels  wherever 
a  fresh  idea  can  be  found,  a  new  impetus 
gained,  a  new  help  obtained  that  will  bene- 
fit her  students;  she  spares  neither  time  nor 
money.  "Growth"  is  her  watchword,  and 
established  communication  with  the  leading 
musicians  and  critics  of  the  country  makes 
this  possible.  She  possesses  an  enviable 
reputation  and  holds  many  strong  testi- 
monials of  her  work  from  leading  musicians. 
In  addition  to  her  marked  ability  as  a  mu- 
sician and  teacher,  her  beautiful  Christian 
womanhood  has  a  lasting  influence  on  the 
lives  of  the  students  fortunate  to  come  with- 
in her  sphere  and  find  in  her  a  friend. 


ROBERT  LOUDON,  proprietor  of  the 
Eagle  Machine  Works  on  North 
Main  street,  Bloomington,  is  one  of  the 
prominent  and  successful  business  men  of 
the  city.  Although  he  has  not  accumulated 
a  great  fortune,  but  few  lives  furnish  so 
striking  an  example  of  the  wise  application 
of  sound  principles  and  safe  conservatism  as 
does  his.  The  story  of  his  success  is  short 
and  simple,  containing  no  exciting  chapters, 
but  in  it  lies  one  of  the  most  valuable  secrets 
of  the  prosperity  which  it  records,  and  his 
business  and  private  life  are  pregnant  with 
interest  and  incentive,  no  matter  how  lack- 
ing in  dramatic  action, — the  record  of  a 
noble  life,  consistent  with  itself  and  its  pos- 
sibilities in  every  particular. 

Mr.  Loudon  was  born  in  Kilmarnock, 
Scotland,  March  18,  1833,  a  son  of  Allan 
and  Jeanette  (Kennedy)  Loudon,  and  is  a 
representative  of  an  old  and  highly  respect- 
ed family,  who  were  possessed  of  all  the 
admirable   traits  of  that    nationality.      His 


ROBERT  LOUDON. 


T,1L  NE>W  YOkK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR,  LENOX 
I  TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


195 


paternal  grandparents  were  Hugh  and  Mar- 
garet (Houston)  Loudon,  in  whose  family 
were  nine  children,  five  sons  and  four 
daughters.  The  grandfather  lived  in  Kil- 
marnock, Ayrshire,  where  he  engaged  in 
business  as  a  shoemaker,  and  all  his  sons 
learned  that  trade  with  the  exception  of  the 
father  of  our  subject,  who  was  apprenticed 
to  learn  the  machinist's  trade  with  Bailey 
Morton,  of  Kilmarnock,  a  noted  telescope 
manufacturer,  who  had  an  observatory  of 
his  own  mounted  with  a  fine  telescope 
which  drew  people  from  all  parts  of  Scot- 
land. While  working  there  Allan  Loudon 
became  very  proficient  in  the  manufacture, 
of  telescopes,  one  of  which  was  made  foir;  ■ 
Sir  John  Ross  and  formed  part  of  his  outfit 
when  he  went  in  search  of  the  north  pole. 
Another  is  still  in  use  in  the  observatory  at 
Dumfries,  and  stands  beside  the  monument 
erected  to  the  memory  of  the  poet  Burns. 
In  1834  he  made  a  small  locomotive,  less 
than  si.x  inches  each  way,  which  was  a 
great  curiosity.  He  would  often  amuse 
his  visitors  by  getting  up  steam  and  letting 
it  run  about  on  the  floor.  Although  this 
was  before  the  days  of  railroads  the  little 
engine  is  still  in  good  running  order.  Later 
Mr.  Loudon  became  master  machinist  in 
the  celebrated  woolen  mills  of  Blackwood 
Brothers  at  Kilmarnock,  but  in  1839  he 
moved  to  Dairy,  Ayrshire,  where  he  took 
charge  of  the  Bridge  End  Mills.  He  held 
that  position  for  forty  years  and  was  noted 
for  his  reliability  and  fidelity  to  duty.  He 
invented  an  engine  governor  which  was  a 
great  improvement  over  the  old  ball  gov- 
ernor and  also  a  lap  machine  for  wool  card- 
ing, the  first  which  ever  worked  success- 
fully and  is  still  used.  The  doubling  and 
twisting  machine  for  giving  a  definite  num- 
ber of  twists  to  each  foot  of  yarn  was  per- 
10 


fected  by  him  and  our  subject  together, 
and  also  an  improved  carding  machine 
which  effected  a  saving  of  twenty  per  cent 
in  the  cost  of  carding. 

He  married  Jeanette  Kennedy,  a  native 
of  Old  Cumnock,  where  her  ancestors  had 
lived  for  many  generations.  Her  parents 
were  Robert  and  Margaret  (French)  Ken- 
nedy. Her  grandfather  French  was  a  fine 
violinist  and  musical  composer,  who  was 
known  all  over  the  western  part  of  Scotland. 
He  and  Neal  Dow  (not  of  Portland,  Maine) 
often  played  together  at  factory  balls  given 
by  lords  and  dukes  in  that  region,  and  one 
jgif,  his  pieces  of  sacred  music,  which  bears 

:  :the  name  of  French,  is  still  sung  by  congre- 
gations  in    Scotland    and  is   mentioned  by 

i-RpUlpje  Burns  in  his  poems.  Our  subject 
remembers  hearing  his  grandmother  relate 
that  when  Mr.  French  died  Neal  Dow  ap- 
propriated all  the  music  and  published  it  as 
his  own  production,  reaping  all  the  honor 
and  profit  that  should  have  been  her  father's. 
Allan  Loudon  died  in  Dairy,  in  1888,  and 
his  wife  shortly  afterward,  in  1890.  They 
were  prominent  and  active  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  highly  respected  by 
all  who  knew  them.  In  the  family  of  this 
worthy  couple  were  three  sons  and  five 
daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  is  the  first 
in  order  of  birth.  Hugh  also  learned  the 
machinist's  trade  at  home,  and  later  joined 
the  English  navy  as  engineer.  He  became 
chief  engineer  and  was  in  the  service  four- 
teen years,  lacking  but  one  year  of  being 
placed  on  the  retired  list,  when  he  was  sud- 
denly taken  ill  and  died  in  the  service. 
Allan,  after  serving  an  apprenticeship  to  the 
machinist's  trade,  entered  the  passenger 
steamship  service  between  Liverpool  and 
New  York  as  engineer,  but  later  engaged  in 
the  hardware  business  in  Dairy,  Scotland. 


196 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


He  once  visited  our  subject  in  Bloomington, 
but  is  now  deceased.  Jean  is  now  the  wife 
of  George  McFee,  a  prominent  business 
man  of  London,  England.  Agnes  is  the 
wife  of  George  Cluckey,  of  Paisley,  Scot- 
land. Mary,  who  is  not  married,  lives  at 
the  old  home  in  Dairy.  Margaret  married 
George  Craig,  of  Paisley,  and  died  leaving 
two  sons.  Jeanette  died  at  the  old  home- 
stead in  1897. 

Robert  Loudon,  of  this  review,  attended 
school  between  the  ages  of  four  and  twelve 
years.  Being  then  considered  old  enough 
to  do  something  for  himself,  he  was  appren- 
ticed to  learn  silk  weaving  by  a  hand  loom, 
and  served  three  years.  As  this  business 
did  not  suit  him,  having  inherited  a  love  for 
machinery,  he  was  apprenticed  at  the  Bridge 
End  Mills,  Dairy,  of  which  his  father  had 
charge,  and  to  a  day  served  his  five  years, 
receiving  three  shillings  six  pence  a  week 
the  first  year;  four  shillings  the  second;  five 
shillings  three  pence  the  third;  eight  shil- 
lings, or  two  dollars,  the  fourth;  and  two 
dollars  and  a  half  the  fifth.  Out  of  this  he 
paid  his  board  and  bought  his  clothes.  As 
soon  as  free  he  made  a  contract  to  work  for 
twenty-three  shillings  a  week,  the  highest 
wages  then  paid,  and  during  the  ten  years 
he  was  thus  employed  he  saved  some 
money. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1S57,  Mr.  Loudon 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jennette 
Johnston,  a  daughter  of  David  Johnston,  a 
representative  of  an  old  Sterlingshire  family. 
They  remained  in  their  native  land  until 
after  the  birth  of  their  oldest  son,  Allan 
Kennedy.  The  family  now  numbers  si.\ 
children,  namely:  Allan  Kennedy  married 
Carrie  Gillespie,  daughter  of  William  Gilles- 
pie and  lives  in  Bloomington.  David  J.,  a 
resident    of    Bloomington,    married     May, 


daughter  of  the  late  Joseph  M.  Parke,  of 
Vera,  Illinois,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Grace  and  Jennette.  Robert  William,  of 
Chicago,  married  Minnie  Hodge  and  has  one 
son,  Hodge.  Emma  J.  and  Jennette  are 
both  graduates  of  the  Normal  School,  of 
Normal  and  spent  some  time  in  Germany, 
where  the  former  studied  German  and 
French,  and  the  latter  music.  After  stop- 
ping for  some  time  in  Paris,  they  returned 
to  their  home  in  Bloomington,  and  Emma 
is  now  teaching  French  and  German  in  the 
high  school  of  Beaver  Dam,  Wisconsin. 
Jennette,  who  is  considered  the  best  musi- 
cian in  this  part  of  the  country,  always  com- 
mands a  prominent  position.  She  studied 
with  the  best  masters  and  was  for  three 
years  a  pupil  of  Scharwenka.  She  has  been 
connected  as  a  musical  instructor,  with  the 
Universities  of  Michigan,  Iowa,  Missouri 
and  Alabama,  and  is  now  with  the  Wesleyan 
Female  College  of  Macon,  Georgia.  Agnes 
Grace  is  a  graduate  of  the  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity of  Bloomington,  and  is  at  home  with 
her  parents. 

Mr.  Loudon  and  his  little  family  crossed 
the  Atlantic  on  the  steamer  Edinburg  from 
Glasgow  to  New  York,  and  proceeded  at 
once  to  Alton,  Illinois,  where  his  brother-in- 
law,  James  Johnston,  had  previously  located, 
finding  employment  in  the  shops  of  the 
Terre  Haute  &  Alton  Railroad,  now  the  Big 
Four,  where  he  worked  as  a  machinist  until 
the  shops  were  moved  to  Litchfield.  In 
the  fall  of  1859,  in  company  with  two  other 
gentlemen,  he  started  a  machine  shop  at 
Jacksonville,  Illinois,  but  as  times  were  hard 
he  sold  out  his  interest  two  years  later,  and 
again  entered  the  railroad  shops  at  Litch- 
field, where  he  worked  until  1863.  He 
then  went  to  Cairo,  where  in  the  employ  of 
the  government   he  had  charge  of  men  re- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


197 


pairing  the  dispatch  boats  running  between 
Cairo  and  Vicksburg  and  up  the  Yazoo 
river. 

In   December,    1863,    Mr.    Loudon  was 
solicited  to  come  to  Bloomington  and  take 
charge   of    the   Chicago    &    Alton    machine 
shops,  where  he  remained  until  a  new  super- 
intendent was  elected   and   then  resigned. 
In  1865  he  took  charge  of  the  shops  of  J. 
M.  Ollis  and  did  a  large  and  successful  busi- 
ness   in    manufacturing    heavy    machinery, 
especially  coal-shaft   machinery.      He    also 
had  charge  of   putting  in  the  machinrey  in 
the   first  shaft   sunk   in    Bloomington.      In 
1876  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Deidrich  &  Loudon,  and  embarked  in  busi- 
ness for  himself  at  the  Big  Four  depot;  but 
a  year  later  the   partnership  was  dissolved 
and  Mr.   Loudon   began   business   alone   at 
No.  620  North  Main  street,  in  a  frame  shop, 
which  he   erected   at  that  place.     The  old 
creek  flowed  by  his  place  of  business  and  the 
street  was  still  lined  with  gardens  on  both 
sides.      Here  he  engaged  in  engine  building 
and  a  general  machine  work.    His  trade  grad- 
ually increasing  and  his  financial  resources, 
also,  he  at  length  erected  his  present  build- 
ing— a  large   brick   structure,  forty-four  by 
ninety-four  feet,  three  stories  in  height  with 
a   basement,    all    devoted    to    his   business. 
Here  he  conducts  a  general  machine  shop, 
and  when  the  water  works  was  established 
he    was    among    the    first    to    start   in   the 
plumbing    business    and     has    since    added 
steam-heating    and    gas-fitting.      In    these 
lines  he  carries  the  finest  as  well  as  by  far 
the   largest  stock   in  the  city.     Purchasing 
property  on  Center  street,  he  there  erected, 
in  1897,  eight  flats,  the  most   modern  and 
up-to-date  flats  in  the  city.      His  own  home 
is   an    elegant   residence    at    the    corner    of 
Franklin   Square,    now  the    best    neighbor- 


hood in  the  city,  but  when  he  built  there 
thirty-three  years  ago  there  was  but  one 
house  beyond  his  place.  He  was  one  of 
the  original  stockholders  of  the  Corn  Belt 
Bank,  and  has  encouraged  many  of  the  new 
and  important  industries  of  the  city,  such  as 
the  Walton  Plow  factory,  the  chair  factory 
and  the  radiator  factory,  all  of  which  failed 
through  bad  management.  When  the  Illi- 
nois Master  Plumbers'  Association  was 
formed,  in  1893,  Mr.  Loudon  was  elected 
its  first  president,  serving  during  1893-4, 
and  in  1895  he  served  as  state  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  National  Plumbers'  Association. 
Although  Mr.  Loudon  is  to-day  one  of  the 
most  prominent  and  successful  business 
men  of  Bloomington,  his  career  has  not 
been  helped  by  accident  or  luck,  or  wealth 
or  powerful  friends.  He  is,  in  the  broadest 
sense,  a  self-made  man,  being  both  the 
architect  and  builder  of  his  own  fortune. 
He  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist church,  and  he  also  belongs  to  Bloom- 
ington Lodge,  No.  43,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  In 
1886,  he  returned  to  his  old  home  in  Scot- 
land, his  visit  being  a  joyful  surprise  to  his 
aged  parents.  Besides  going  over  the 
scenes  of  his  boyhood,  he  visited  the  region 
where  most  of  Burns'  poems  were  laid,  it 
being  only  fourteen  miles  from  his  old  home. 
He  also  spent  some  time  in  London  and 
traveled  quite  extensively  through  Scotland. 


CHARLES  E.  BISHOP,  a  veteran  of 
the  war  for  the  union,  and  one  of  the 
enterprising  farmers  and  stock  raisers  of 
McLean  county,  resides  upon  his  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  section 
29,  Randolph  township.  He  is  a  native  of 
the  township,  and  was  born  January  23, 
1 84 1.      His  father,    Martin  L.  Bishop,  was 


198 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  1818,  and  was  the 
son  of  James  Bishop.  In  his  native  state 
Martin  L.  Bishop  married  Miss  Matilda 
McRoberts,  also  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  they 
moved  to  McLean  county,  Illinois,  in  the 
fall  of  1840.  Locating  in  Randolph  town- 
ship, near  the  present  village  of  Heyworth, 
he  purchased  a  farm  and  as  his  means  in- 
creased added  to  its  area  until  he  was  the 
owner  of  over  twelve  hundred  acres.  He 
was  very  successful  in  his  business  ventures 
and  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  abil- 
ity. Abraham  Lincoln  was  his  personal 
friend  and  was  his  attorney  in  a  case  against 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  which  he  won 
in  the  courts  at  Bloomington.  Mr.  Lincoln 
on  more  than  one  occasion  visited  him  at 
his  home.  He  died  in  Bloomington,  April 
17.  1897.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first 
wife  dying  in  1848.  He  later  married 
Margaret  E.  Glasscock. 

Charles  E.  Bishop  is  one  of  four  children 
by  the  first  union  who  grew  to  mature  years. 
Emeline  married,  but  is  now  deceased. 
Charles  E.  was  ne.xt  in  order  of  birth. 
William,  an  ex-sherifl  of  McLean  county, 
is  now  living  in  Bloomington.  Mary  was 
married,  but  is  now  deceased.  On  the  old 
home  place  our  subject  grew  to  manhood, 
and  in  the  common  schools,  which  he  usu- 
ally attended  in  the  winter  months,  he  ob- 
tained his  education.  He  remained  with 
his  father  on  the  farm  until  in  August,  1862, 
when  he  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Ninety- 
fourth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  with 
his  regiment  went  to  the  front.  The  first 
engagement  in  which  he  participated  was  at 
Prairie  Grove,  Arkansas.  He  was  in  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg,  from  which  place  the 
regiment  was  sent  down  the  river,  and  later 
to  Brownsville,  Texas.  During  the  time  he 
was  in  the  service  he  was  on  detached  duty. 


acting  as  orderly  for  General  Orme  and 
others.  In  August,  1865,  he  was  honorably 
discharged,  after  serving  his  full  three  years. 
The  regiment  was  discharged  and  mustered 
out  at  Springfield,  Illinois. 

After  receiving  his  discharge,  Mr.  Bishop 
returned  to  his  home  in  Randolph  town- 
ship, and  resumed  his  place  on  the  farm. 
On  the  iith  of  January,  1866,  he  married 
Miss  Frances  M.  Lake,  a  native  of  Sanga- 
mon county,  born  and  reared  near  Spring- 
field. In  April  following  they  located  on 
the  place  where  they  now  reside,  renting 
the  place  for  the  first  three  or  four  years 
and  then  purchasing  it.  In  the  years  that 
have  passed  he  has  made  many  improve- 
ments on  it,  in  the  building  of  a  neat  and 
substantial  residence,  the  erection  of  out- 
buildings, the  planting  of  fruit  and  orna- 
mental trees,  together  with  such  other 
improvements  that  go  to  make  a  model 
farm  of  the  nineteenth  century.  It  is  cer- 
tainly one  of  the  best  improved  farms  in 
the  township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bishop  are  the  parents  of 
eight  children.  Nettie  is  now  the  wife  of 
C.  C.  Bell,  and  they  reside  in  Marshall 
county,  Illinois.  Edward  is  married  and  is 
residing  in  Marshall  county,  Illinois.  Al- 
bert is  married  and  is  a  farmer  of  Ran- 
dolph township.  Frank  is  assisting  in  carry- 
ing on  the  home  farm.  Ella  is  the  wife  of 
John  R.  Ryburn,  of  Randolph  township. 
Jessie  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Munson,  of 
Randolph  township.  Ora  and  Ethel  are 
yet  at  home. 

Politically  Mr.  Bishop  is  a  staunch  and 
life-long  Republican.  He  was  in  the  army 
during  the  presidential  election  of  1864, 
and  therefore  lost  his  opportunity  to  vote  for 
the  re-election  of  "Honest  Old  Abe,"  but 
in  18G8  he  had    the  pleasure   of  voting  fo 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


199 


General  Grant.  His  last  presidential  vote 
was  for  William  McKinley.  His  business 
interests  have  always  commanded  his  at- 
tention, and  he  has  therefore  neither  sought 
nor  accepted  office,  with  the  exception  of 
that  of  school  trustee,  an  office  which  he 
has  held  for  twenty  years.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Hey- 
worth,  and  Mrs.  Bishop  is  also  a  member  of 
the  same  church.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
Master  Mason,  and  he  is  also  a  member  of 
the  post  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public at  Heyworth.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 
Socially  he  and  his  family  are  held  in  high 
esteem,  and  as  a  life  long  resident  of  the 
county  he  is  well  acquainted  and  has  many 
friends,  who  admire  him  for  his  personal 
worth  as  a  man  and  citizen. 


LUMAN  E.  BAKER,  an  enterprising 
farmer  and  stock  raiser,  residing  on 
section  21,  Downs  township,  owns  and  op- 
erates a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  of  well 
improved  land.  He  was  born  in  Green 
county.  New  York,  under  the  shadow  of  the 
Catskill  mountains,  July  7,  1848.  His 
father,  Luman  Baker,  and  his  grandfather, 
David  Baker,  were  also  natives  of  the  same 
county  and  state.  The  family  are  of  Hol- 
land ancestry,  but  very  early  settlers  in  this 
country,  as  the  great  grandfather  of  our 
subject  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  Luman  Baker  was  a  farmer  in  Green 
county.  New  York,  and  there  married  Miss 
Hannah  Palmer,  a  native  of  Albany  county. 
New  York,  and  daughter  of  Gideon  Palmer. 
They  never  came  west,  but  lived  and  died 
in  Green  county. 

Luman  E.  Baker  was  reared  in  his  native 
3tate,   where    he   received  fair  educational 


advantages,  but  his  general  knowledge  has 
been  acquired  since  arriving  at  maturity. 
He  remained  at  home  until  twenty  years  of 
age,  when  he  came  to  McLean  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  for  two  years  worked  on  various 
farms  by  the  month.  He  then  rented  a 
farm  in  Old  Town  township,  where  he 
remained  six  years,  after  which  he  moved 
into  Downs  township,  where  he  continued 
to  rent  and  engage  in  farming  for  a  number 
of  years.  He  then  purchased  the  place 
where  he  now  resides,  consisting  of  two 
hundred  acres,  and  has  here  since  continued 
to  reside,  engaged  in  general  farming  and 
stock  raising.  Since  moving  to  the  farm  he 
has  put  down  about  fifteen  hundred  rods  of 
tiling,  and  has  made  other  improvements  of 
a  substantial  character.  He  makes  a  spe- 
cialty of  feeding  and  preparing  for  the  market 
both  cattle  and  hogs,  and  annually  ships 
from  three  to  five  car  loads  of  cattle  and 
two  car  loads  of  hogs. 

Mr.  Baker  was  married  in  the  city  of 
Bloomington,  August  25,  1869,  to  Miss 
Margaret  M.  Price,  a  native  of  McLean 
county,  and  daughter  of  Burl  R.  Price,  who 
came  to  this  county  with  his  father,  James 
Price,  who  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  from 
which  state  he  removed  to  Kentucky  and 
later  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Bloomington, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness, having  for  a  time  two  stores.  Burl  R. 
Price  here  grew  to  manhood  and  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  Bishop,  a  native  of  Ohio, 
but  who  was  reared  in  this  county,  having 
come  here  with  her  parents  when  but  three 
years  of  age.  Mr.  Price  was  by  occupation 
a  farmer,  and  continued  to  engage  in  farm- 
ing until  his  death  in  1878.  His  wife  yet 
survives  him  and  makes  her  home  in  Bloom- 
ington. 

To    Mr.    and    Mrs,  Baker    five    children 


200 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


have  been  born.  Burl  P.  married  and  has  one 
child.  He  is  well  educated,  and  was  formerly 
a  teacher  in  the  county,  but  is  now  engaged  as 
a  commercial  traveler  from  Chicago.  Carrie 
is  the  wife  of  W.  W.  Reser,  of  Downs  town- 
ship. Lou  is  a  well-educated  young  lady, 
and  for  two  years  taught  in  the  Blooming- 
ton  city  schools.  Walter  is  married,  and  is 
now  engaged  in  the  railroad  service  in  the 
employ  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad. 
Henry  C.  is  a  graduate  of  the  Leroy  high 
school  of  the  class  of  1899.  He  yet  remains 
under  the  parental  roof. 

Politically,  Mr.  Baker  is  a  Republican, 
and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  U.  S. 
Grant  in  1872.  For  every  presidential 
nominee  of  the  party  from  that  time  to  the 
present  he  has  cast  his  vote.  He  has  never 
sought  or  cared  for  office.  Mrs.  Baker  is  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Blooming- 
ton.  For  thirty-one  years  Mr.  Baker  has 
been  a  resident  of  McLean  county  and 
identified  with  its  interests.  He  has  never 
regretted  making  this  county  his  home,  and 
here  he  has  made  many  friends,  and  is  well 
known  in  Bloomington  and  the  south  part 
of  the  county. 


THOMAS  F.  HARWOOD,  deceased, 
was  one  of  the  honored  and  highly-re- 
spected citizens  of  Bloomington,  and  for 
many  years  was  prominently  identified  with 
the  business  interests  of  the  place.  His 
devotion  to  the  public  welfare  made  him  a 
valued  factor  in  public  life,  and  by  his  death 
Bloomington  was  deprived  of  one  of  its  best 
citizens. 

Mr.  Harwood  was  born  in  Orleans  coun- 
ty. New  York,  in  1838,  a  son  of  Chauncey 
and  Lovisa  (Bogue)  Harwood,  natives  of 
Vermont.      In    early     manhood    the    father 


went  to  New  York  and  located  at  the  present 
site  of  the  city  of  Rochester,  traveling  the 
entire  distance  on  foot  from  Chittenden, 
Vermont,  through  the  dense  forests.  He 
bought  a  tract  of  one  hundred  acres  ol  land 
and  built  thereon  a  woolen  mill  just  below 
the  falls  of  the  Genesee  river.  While  op- 
erating that  mill,  his  health  failed  and  he 
removed  to  Orleans  county,  the  same  state, 
where  he  purchased  property  and  erected 
another  woolen  factory,  which  was  liberally 
patronized  by  the  early  settlers  for  miles 
around  in  all  directions.  He  was  one  of  the 
prominent  and  influential  men  of  his  com- 
munity, was  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Whig 
party,  and  a  deacon  in  the  Presbyterian 
church. 

During  his  boyhood  and  youth,  Thomas 
F.  Harwood  received  a  good  practical  edu- 
cation and  a  thorough  business  training 
under  the  able  guidance  of  his  father.  In 
1858,  on  leaving  home  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years,  he  came  to  Bloomington,  Illinois, 
and  established  himself  in  the  hardware 
business  on  Centre  street,  carrying  on  oper- 
ations along  that  line  until  1870,  when  he 
sold  out  to  his  brothers  and  embarked  in 
the  lumber  trade  under  the  firm  style  of 
T.  F.  Harwood  &  Co.,  afterward  changed  to 
T.  F.  Harwood  &  Sons.  Being  a  man  of 
keen  forsight,  sound  judgment  and  good 
business  ability,  he  prospered  in  his  under- 
takings and  succeeded  in  establishing  the 
largest  lumber  business  in  McLean  county. 
He  was  connected  with  the  same  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  December,  1891. 
He  was  also  a  stockholder  and  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Citizens'  Gas  Light  Company, 
and  was  interested  in  the  Third  National 
Bank,  of  Bloomington. 

In  1862,  Mr.  Harwood  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Marietta  Keys,  of  Bloom- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


20I 


ington,  who  is  also  a  native  of  Orleans 
county,  New  York,  and  a  daughter  of  H.  N. 
Keys,  formerfy  of  Connecticut.  Three 
children  were  born  of  this  union:  Willis  S., 
Clara  and  Henry  B.  The  family  is  one  of 
prominence  socially,  and  they  have  a  pleas- 
ant home  at  No.  410  East  Douglas  street. 

In  his  political  affiliations,  Mr.  Harwood 
was  a  Republican,  and  for  one  term  he 
served  as  alderman  of  the  third  ward.  As 
a  public-spirited  and  enterprising  citizen,  he 
championed  every  movement  designed  to 
promote  the  general  welfare,  supported  ev- 
ery enterprise  for  the  public  good,  and  ma- 
terially aided  in  the  advancement  of  all 
social,  educational  and  moral  interests. 


BENJAMIN  F.  HARBER,  treasurer  of 
the  well-known  corporation  of  Har- 
ber  Brothers'  Company,  Bloomington,  is  a 
leading  representative  of  the  business  inter- 
ests of  the  city.  Tireless  energy,  keen  per- 
ception, honesty  of  purpose,  genius  for  de- 
vising and  executing  the  right  thing  at  the 
right  time,  joined  to  every-day  common 
sense,  guided  by  resistless  will  power,  are 
the  chief  characteristics  of  the  man.  Con- 
nected with  one  of  the  leading  wholesale 
houses  in  Bloomington,  the  place  that  he 
occupies  in  business  circles  is  in  the  front 
rank. 

Mr.  Harber  was  born  in  Waldo  town- 
ship, Livingston  county,  Illinois,  June  4, 
1858,  and  is  a  son  of  David  P.  and  Martha 
A.  (Nance)  Harber.  The  father  was  born 
in  Indiana,  November  20,  1821.  Early  in 
the  '50s  he  came  to  Illinois  and  first  located 
in  Woodford  county,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming.  Later  he  followed  the  same  occu- 
pation in  Livingston  county  until  1S62,  be- 
coming  an    extensive    farmer,    and    taking 


quite  a  prominent  part  in  township  affairs  as 
an  office  holder.  In  1862  he  removed  to 
El  Paso,  where  he  engaged  in  mercantile 
business  until  1872,  and  then  embarked  in 
the  agricultural  implement  business  at  Eu- 
reka, Woodford  county,  continuing  to  carry 
on  the  same  until  a  few  years  prior  to  his 
death.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  engage 
exclusively  in  that  trade  in  his  section  of  the 
state,  and  as  a  retail  dealer  met  with  most 
excellent  success.  In  1853  he  married  Miss 
Martha  A.  Nance,  who  was  born  in  Floyd 
county,  Indiana,  September  22,  1829,  and 
is  a  daughter  of  Clement  Nance,  a  repre- 
sentative of  one  of  the  old  families  living 
near  New  Albany,  Indiana.  She  is  still 
living,  but  Mr.  Harber  died  in  Eureka  Jan- 
uary 29,  1897,  honored  and  esteemed  by  all 
who  knew  him.  He  was  an  active  and  in- 
fluential member  of  the  Christian  church, 
with  which  he  was  officially  connected,  and 
to  which  his  widow  also  belongs.  To  them 
were  born  five  children,  namely:  Hattie, 
now  Mrs.  Van  Ness,  of  New  Jersey;  Edgar 
D.,  president  of  the  Harber  Brothers'  Com- 
pany, who  is  represented  elsewhere  in  this 
work;  Benjamin  F. ,  our  subject;  John  W., 
vice-president  of  the  company;  and  Mina,  at 
home  with  her  mother. 

For  his  literary  education,  Benjamin  F. 
Harber  is  indebted  to  the  public  schools 
near  his  boyhood  home,  and  his  first  idea 
of  business  and  business  methods  were  ob- 
tained in  his  father's  implement  store  at 
Eureka,  and  with  which  he  was  connected 
as  an  employe  for  two  years.  At  the  age 
of  seventeen  he  was  admitted  to  partner- 
ship, the  firm  name  being  changed  to  D. 
P.  Harber  &  Sons.  They  did  a  successful 
retail  business  in  Eureka  until  1886,  when 
the  brothers  came  to  Bloomington  and  es- 
tablished business  under  the  style  of  Har- 


202 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ber,  Ewins  &  Company,  but  two  years  later 
the  firm  was  changed  to  Harber  Brothers. 
In  1 89 1  the  business  was  incorporated  under 
the  name  of  the  Harber  Brothers'  Com- 
pany, and  the  same  year  they  erected  the 
building  which  they  now  occupy  on  South 
Main  street  and  the  Lake  Erie  &  Western 
Railroad,  having  a  switch  track  of  their 
own.  Their  trade  covers  Illinois,  Iowa  and 
Indiana,  and  employment  is  furnished  to  a 
large  corps  of  traveling  salemen,  as  well  as 
a  good  office  force.  The  company  are 
stockholders  in  several  manufactories  from 
which  they  buy  goods,  and  besides  this 
our  subject  is  a  director  in  the  Third  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Bloomington!. 

On  the  8th  of  December,  188 1,  Mr. 
Harber  was  united  in  marriage  ■  with -Miss 
Jennie  Ewins,  a  daughter-  of  John  A.' 
Ewins,  (of  whom  see  sketch  elsewhere  in 
this  work),  of  Danvers,  and  two  chil- 
dren have  been  born  of  this  union:  Blanche 
and  Louise.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harber  both 
hold  membership  in  the  Christian  church, 
and  he  also  belongs  to  the  Bloomington 
Club.  By  strict  attention  to  business, 
and  by  the  conscientious  discharge  of  all  du- 
ties imposed  upon  him,  he  has  been  suc- 
cessful in  life,  and  has  won  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  all. 


JOHN  G.  GEIGER  was  for  many  years 
actively  identified  with  the  agricultural 
interests  of  McLean  county  and  is  still  one 
of  the  largest  land  owners  in  the  county, 
but  for  the  past  six  years  he  has  lived  retired 
from  active  labor.  As  a  young  man  of 
nineteen  years  he  came  to  America,  and 
with  no  capital,  started  out  in  a  strange 
land  to  overcome  the  difficulties  and  ob- 
stacles   in    the     path     to    prosperity.      His 


youthful  dreams  have  been  realized,  and  in 
their  happy  fulfillment  he  sees  the  fitting  re- 
ward of  his  earnest  toil. 

Mr.  Geiger  was  born  in  the  county  of 
Germershaem,  Bavaria,  Germany,  April  9, 
1833,  a  son  of  Frank  Peter  and  Eva  Bar- 
bara (Wolfe)  Geiger,  who  spent  their  entire 
lives  in  that  country,  where  the  father  fol- 
lowed the  trade  of  a  brick-molder.  Our 
subject  is  the  only  one  of  their  three  chil- 
dren now  living.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  land,  and  later 
engaged  in  farming  and  lumbering  in  that 
country  until  1852,  when  he  crossed  the 
broad  Atlantic,  landing  in  New  York.  He 
proceeded  at  once  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
where  he  arrived  without  a  penny.  He 
was  not  only  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land, 
without  capital,  but  he  knew  nothing  of  the 
English  language.  He  soon  found  employ- 
ment as  a  gardener  and  during  the  year  and 
a  half  he  worked  at  that  occupation  he 
managed  to  save  some  money.  Going  to 
Butler  county,  Ohio,  he  worked  there  for 
two  years  and  a  half,  and  then  came  to 
McLean  county,  Illinois,  in  1856.  Here  he 
was  employed  by  others  for  three  years. 

During  all  this  time,  Mr.  Geiger  saved 
some  of  his  wages,  and  in  September,  1859, 
made  his  first  purchase  of  land,  consisting 
of  eighty-five  acres  on  section  4,  Towanda 
township,  for  which  he  paid  sixteen  hundred 
dollars.  It  was  then  mostly  wild  prairie 
land,  which  he  broke  and  improved,  and 
later  successfully  operated.  On  the  14th  of 
September,  1859,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Anna  Neise,  who  was  born  in  the 
northern  part  of  Bavaria  and  came  to  this 
country  in  1858.  They  began  their  domes- 
tic life  upon  his  farm,  to  which  he  added  a 
tract  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres 
adjoining  it  on  the   north,  six  years    later. 


THE   NiiW   YUi:K 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR,  LENOX 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS 


JOHN   G.   GEIGER. 


MKS.  JOHN    G.   GEIGER. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


207 


A  few  years  afterward  he  bought  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  more,  and  successfully 
operated  both  farms,  being  engaged  in  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock-raising.  Success  at- 
tended his  efforts  and  he  later  bought  an- 
other tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
on  section  24,  Towanda  township,  and  also 
added  eighty-six  acres  to  the  old  homestead 
in  the  same  township.  In  1893  he  pur- 
chased three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in 
Money  Creek  township  for  which  he  paid 
twenty-seven  thousand  dollars.  He  has 
other  land  equally  good  and  now  owns  nine 
hundred  and  forty  acres,  which  is  worth 
more  than  one  hundred  dollars  per  acre. 
With  the  exception  of  five  acres  of  timber 
land,  this  is  all  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion and  well-improved.  This  valuable  ■ 
property  has  all  been  acquired  by  hard 
work,  good  management  and  sound  judg- 
ment on  the  part  of  our  subject  and  his 
estimable  wife,  who  has  indeed  proved  to 
him  a  true  helpmeet,  aiding  him  in  every 
possible  way. 

Mr.  Geiger  bought  a  pleasant  home  at 
No.  804  South  Main  street  on  the  ist  of 
March,  1893,  and  there  he  and  his  wife 
have  since  lived  retired,  leaving  the  opera- 
tion of  his  farms  to  their  children,  who  are 
as  follows:  George  H.  married  Carrie 
Stover,  of  Towanda,  and  has  four  children; 
Magdalena  is  the  wife  of  Philip  Sutter,  who 
lives  on  one  of  our  subject's  farms,  and  they 
have  two  children;  Albert  F. ,  who  lives  on 
the  old  homestead,  wedded  Mary  Swartzen, 
and  has  two  children;  John  N.  is  engaged  in 
farming;  Minnie  is  the  wife  of  Joseph  Sut- 
ter, and  has  four  children;  he  lives  in  To- 
wanda township;  and  Paul  H.  is  now  a  resi- 
dent of   Oklahoma. 

Mr.  Geiger  has  always  been  a  stanch 
supporter    of    the    Republican    party,    and 


while  living  in  the  country  he  served  for  six 
years  as  highway  commissioner  of  Towanda 
township.  Upright  and  honorable  in  all 
his  dealings,  the  success  that  has  attended 
his  well-directed  efforts  is  certainly  justly 
merited,  and  he  has  gained  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  all  who  know  him. 


J 


OSEPH  D.  KAUFMAN.— Similar  to  a 
foundation  stone  which  holds  its  place 
under  an  important  superstructure,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  occupies  an  immovable 
position  among  the  solid  men  of  Empire 
township.  His  occupation  at  present  is  that 
of  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  and  he 
owns  and  successfully  operates  a  most  de- 
isirable  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
on  section  4,  about  three  miles  north  of 
Le  Roy. 

Mr.  Kaufman  was  born  in  Fairfield 
county,  Ohio,  May  28,  1840,  and  is  a  son  of 
Joseph  Kaufman,  who  was  born  in  the  same 
state,  in  1810,  and  died  in  1840.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  who  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Mary  Ann  Berry,  was  a  native  of 
Virginia,  but  was  reared  in  Ohio,  where  her 
marriage  was  celebrated.  After  the  death 
of  her  husband  she  devoted  her  entire  atten- 
tion to  the  rearing  of  her  children,  and  in 
1857  brought  her  family  to  Illinois,  locating 
on  a  farm  in  Blue  Ridge  township,  Piatt 
county,  where  she  spent  the  remainder  of 
her  life,  dying  there  in  August,  1876. 

The  subject  of  this  review  remained  with 
his  mother  until  his  marriage,  and  by  his 
work  upon  the  home  farm  gained  a  good 
practical  knowledge  of  agriculture.  Later 
he  learned  the  carpenter's  and  joiner's  trade, 
which  he  followed  for  several  years.  In 
July,  1862,  however,  he  laid  aside  all  per- 
sonal interests  and  enlisted  for  three  months 


208 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


in  Company  A,  Seventy-first  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  which  was  on  duty  guarding 
the  Ohio  &  Mobile  Railroad  in  Kentucky 
until  mustered  out  at  Chicago  at  the  close 
of  their  term  of  enlistment. 

After  his  return  from  the  war  Mr.  Kauf- 
man located  in  Tazewell  county,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  for  twenty-one  years. 
There  he  was  married,  January  i6,  1868,  to 
Miss  Martha  Curtis,  a  native  of  Indiana, 
who  came  to  this  state  when  a  young  lady 
with  her  father,  Harry  Curtis.  Three  chil- 
dren blessed  this  union,  namely:  Henry  C. , 
a  farmer  of  Empire  township,  McLean 
county,  who  married  Almeda  Newman  and 
has  had  three  children,  Russell  and  Joseph 
D.,  still  living,  and  Ella,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  four  months;  Mary,  who  is  at  home 
with  her  parents;  and  William  A.,  who  is 
now  attending  the  high  school  at  Le  Roy. 

For  a  time  after  his  marriage  Mr.  Kauf- 
man worked  at  the  carpenter's  and  joiner's 
trades  in  Le  Roy,  and  then  returned  to 
Tazewell  county,  where  he  rented  a  farm 
for  a  few  years  and  then  purchased  a  place, 
making  that  county  his  home  twenty-one 
years  altogether.  Selling  his  place  there  in 
the  spring  of  1890,  he  bought  his  present 
farm  in  Empire  township,  upon  which  he  has 
since  made  many  valuable  improvements,  in- 
cluding the  planting  of  fruit  and  ornamental 
trees.  He  is  a  wide-awake,  energetic  man, 
and  from  a  modest  beginning,  in  which  he 
was  dependent  upon  his  own  resources,  has 
become  one  of  the  most  prosperous  and  sub- 
stantial citizens  of  his  community.  In  poli- 
tics he  has  been  a  steadfast  Republican  since 
casting  his  first  presidential  ballot  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  in  1864,  and  as  a  man  and 
citizen  contributes  his  full  share  toward  en- 
hancing the  intellectual  and  moral  welfare 
of    his  township  and  county.     For  several 


years  he  has  most  capably  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  school  board,  and  is  now  serving 
his  second  term  as  township  trustee.  He 
and  his  estimable  wife  hold  membership  in 
the  Le  Roy  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
with  which  he  is  officially  connected  and  is 
now  one  of  the  trustees,  while  fraternally 
he  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  Post  of  the 
same  place.  He  has  ever  been  found  prompt 
and  true  to  every  engagement,  and  no  trust 
reposed  in  him  has  ever  been  misplaced. 


M 


ISS  SUSAN  LOEHR  is  a  representa- 
tive of  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
highly  respected  families  of  Bloomington, 
being  a  daughter  of  Peter  J.  and  Anna  B. 
(Schneider)  Loehr,  who  located  here  in 
1846.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, and  on  first  coming  to  this  country 
located  in  Somerset,  Somerset  county, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Anna  B.  Schneider,  a 
native  of  that  place  and  a  daughter  of 
Jacob  Schneider,  also  a  resident  of  Somer- 
set, who  had  come  to  America  from  Ger- 
many when  a  young  man.  The  grandfather 
was  a  business  man  of  considerable  prom- 
inence and  served  as  justice  of  the  peace 
for  a  number  of  years.  His  advice  was 
often  sought  on  different  matters,  and  he 
was  a  man  looked  up  to  and  honored  by  all 
who  knew  him.  He  and  his  family  held 
membership  in  the  Lutheran  church.  His 
brother  laid  out  the  early  part  of  the  town 
of  Somerset,  and  the  family  was  always 
prominently  identified  with  public  affairs 
there. 

For  some  years  after  their  marriage, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Loehr  continued  their  resi- 
dence in  Somerset,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
engaged  in  busmess  as    a   merchant    tailor, 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


209 


and  later  followed  farming  in  Somerset 
county.  There  eight  children  were  born  to 
them  and  seven  of  the  number  came  to 
Bloomington,  these  being  Clarissa,  who 
married  Dr.  H.  H.  Painter  and  came  to 
Bloomington  prior  to  her  parents,  her  death 
occurring  here;  Frederick,  a  painter  by 
trade,  who  died  in  Mobile,  Alabama;  Susan, 
our  subject;  Catherine,  who  married  Will- 
iam Weyand,  of  Somerset,  and  both  died 
in  Bloomington;  Francis,  who,  as  a  sur- 
veyor, went  to  Walla  Walla,  Washington, 
in  1852,  is  now  deceased;  William,  a  re- 
tired farmer,  who  is  now  living  in  Bloom- 
ington; John  H.,  who  for  some  years  served 
as  county  treasurer  of  McLean  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  died  in  Bloomington  in  1886; 
Anna,  deceased;  and  Charles,  who  was  em- 
ployed in  the  county  treasurer's  office  from 
the  time  he  was  a  youug  man  until  his 
death  in  1886.  He  served  in  the  civil  war 
in  an  Illinois  regiment. 

On  coming  to  McLean  county  in  1846, 
the  father  purchased  a  farm  west  of  the 
city,  and  made  his  home  thereon  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1852.  The  mother 
long  survived  him,  passing  away  in  1881, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years.  She 
continued  to  reside  upon  the  farm  for  some 
time  after  her  husband's  death,  but  finally 
removed  to  Bloomington  and  purchased  a 
comfortable  home  at  No.  512  West  Front 
street,  where  she  spent  her  remaining  days. 
Before  coming  to  Bloomington  the  parents 
both  joined  the  Christian  church,  and  united 
with  the  congregation  here  when  the 
church  was  quite  small.  They  were  num- 
bered among  its  most  active  and  prominent 
workers,  and  their  lives  were  ever  in  har- 
mony with  their  professions.  They  re- 
ceived and  merited  the  high  regard  of  the 
entire    community     and   those    who    knew 


them    best   were    numbered    among    their 
warmest  friends. 

Miss  Loehr,  of  this  review,  was  born 
June  7,  1817,  and  now  occupies  a  pleasant 
home  at  the  corner  of  West  and  Front 
streets.  Like  the  other  members  of  the 
family  she  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church  and  has  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
all  who  know  her. 


FRANK  MORRISON,  a  leading  plumber 
and  steam-fitter,  and  a  prominent  busi- 
ness man  of  Bloomington,  was  born  in  Glas- 
gow, Scotland,  December  29,  1844,  a  son 
of  Frank  and  Jeanette  (Gumming)  Morrison, 
also  natives  of  Glasgow,  which  has  been 
the  home  of  the  family  for  many  genera- 
tions. There  the  parents  both  died  in  the 
faith  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which 
they  were  faithful  and  consistent  members. 
The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
Alexander  Morrison. 

Mr.  Morrison,  of  this  review,  was  edu- 
cated in  the  grammar  schools  of  Glasgow 
and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years  began 
learning  the  plumber's  trade,  at  which  he 
served  a  seven-years'  apprenticeship.  Aft- 
er thoroughly  mastering  the  business  in  all 
its  details,  he  worked  as  a  journeyman  for  a 
short  time  in  Glasgow,  and  was  then  em- 
ployed at  the  ship  building  yards  of  Caird  & 
Company,  on  the  river  Clyde,  working  on 
the  plumbing  of  the  Atlantic  line  of  steam- 
ers for  five  years. 

In  1868,  Mr.  Morrison  was  married,  in 
Glasgow,  to  Miss  Ellen  Cowan,  daughter 
of  Robert  Cowan,  of  Sterlingshire.  After 
his  marriage  he  worked  on  the  steamers 
of  the  cunard  line,  the  North  German 
Lloyds  line,  and  those  of  the  Penin- 
sula Steam  Packet    Company,  an  Oriental 


2IO 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


line,  whose  steamers  sailed  from  South- 
ampton to  Bombay,  India,  and  other 
eastern  points.  His  work  on  these  vessels 
was  of  a  most  modern  character.  In  1872, 
Mr.  Morrison  came  to  the  United  States, 
landing  at  New  York  on  the  4th  of  July. 
After  spending  about  a  year  in  looking  for 
work  in  different  Pennsylvania  towns,  he 
came  to  Bloomington  in  1873  and  accepted 
a  position  with  George  Mcintosh,  a  plum- 
ber and  steam-fitter  of  this  city,  for  whom 
he  worked  one  year.  He  was  next  with 
Robert  Louden,  when  he  first  started  into 
the  plumbing  business,  and  remained  with 
him  for  seven  years  as  foreman. 

In  1883,  Mr.  Morrison  embarked  in  the 
same  business  on  his  own  account  in  Hill's 
block  on  South  East  street,  and  when  the  quar- 
ters became  too  small  to  accommodate  his 
constantly  increasing  business,  he  removed 
to  the  Gerkin  block  on  East  street.  Subse- 
quently his  business  again  demanded  larger 
quarters  and  he  removed  to  the  Stevenson 
block  on  Front  street.  He  is  now  located 
at  No.  206  East  Front  street,  occupying  the 
whole  store,  twenty-four  by  one  hundred 
feet.  He  has  had  many  of  the  largest  con- 
tracts in  the  city  for  both  steam  heating  and 
plumbing,  and  during  the  busy  seasen  em- 
ploys about  fifteen  men.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  board  of  examiners  of  plumbers  for 
the  city  and  still  holds  that  position. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morrison  have  a  family  of 
nine  children,  two  of  whom  were  born  in 
Scotland,  and  the  others  after  the  emigra- 
tion of  the  family  to  America.  In  order  of 
birth  they  are  as  follows:  Frank,  Jr.,  who 
is  engaged  in  the  plumbing  business  in 
Pontiac,  Illinois;  Jennie;  Robert,  a  plumber 
of  Bloomington,  who  wedded  Mary  Emer- 
son, and  has  one  child,  Helen;  Charles  is 
married  and  is  with  our  subject  in  business; 


Ellen,  who  was  educated  in  the  high  school 
of  Bloomington,  as  was  also  her  sister  Jen- 
nie; and  John,  James,  Bell  and  Margaret, 
who  are  still  attending  school.  The  family 
have  a  pleasant  home  at  No.  802  East 
Front  street,  which  is  one  of  the  best  parts 
of  the  city.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morrison 
are  earnest  members  of  the  Second  Presby- 
terian church,  and  he  is  also  a  member  of 
Evergreen  Lodge,  No.  265,  I.  O.  O.  F. 
Politically  he  is  identified  with  the  Repub- 
lican party,  but  has  never  been  an  aspirant 
for  office,  preferring  to  give  his  undivided  at- 
tention to  his  business  interests.  In  busi- 
ness affairs  he  is  honorable,  prompt  and 
reliable,  and  the  success  that  has  come  to 
him  is  due  entirely  to  his  own  industry, 
sound  judgment  and  good  executive  ability. 


MARKS  BANKS,  a  pioneer  of  McLean 
county,  and  for  the  past  thirteen  years 
president  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Society  of 
Dawson  township,  came  to  this  county  in 
1834,  and  for  sixty-five  years  has  been  one 
of  its  honored  citizens.  He  was  born  in 
Montgomery  county,  Virginia,  January  12, 
1823,  and  is  the  son  of  Cassell  and  Mary 
(Watkins)  Banks,  both  natives  of  Virginia. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
of  whom  Mrs.  Sarah  Martin,  John,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  McDonald,  George,  and  Mrs. 
Ruth  Wall  are  deceased.  The  living  are 
Marks,  the  subject  of  our  sketch;  Thomas, 
who  resides  in  Saybrook,  McLean  county; 
and  Mrs.  Mary  Vanscoyoc,  living  in  Daw- 
son township.  The  paternal  grandfather, 
John  Banks,  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey, 
who  moved  in  an  early  day  to  Montgomery 
county,  Virginia,  and  there  married  Miss 
Short. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  Mc- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


211 


Lean  county  with  his  parents  when  eleven 
years  of  age,  at  which  time  the  country 
was  almost  entirely  in  its  primitive  state, 
although  there  were  settlements  in  various 
parts  of  the  county.  Two  years  after  the 
arrival  of  the  family  his  mother  died,  after 
which  Marks  really  commenced  life  for  him- 
self. It  was  his  lot  to  work,  and  work  hard. 
The  virgin  soil  must  be  broken,  crops 
planted  and  harvested,  log  cabins  built,  and, 
in  fact,  everything  must  be  done  to  make 
"  the  wilderness  blossom  as  the  rose."  In 
doing  his  part  in  the  development  of  this 
country,  it  may  be  surmised  there  was  little 
time,  even  if  the  opportunity  was  offered, 
for  obtaining  an  education.  The  opportun- 
ities, however,  were  improved  whenever 
given,  and  Mark  obtained  a  good  common- 
school  education,  but  the  little  obtained  in 
the  primitive  school  house  is  not  to  be  com- 
pared to  what  he  has  since  learned  in  the 
school  of  experience. 

On  the  15th  of  April,  1847,  Mr.  Banks 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Rebecca 
Vanscoyoc,  daughter  of  James  and  Drusella 
(Lewis)  Vanscoyoc,  natives  of  Pennsylvania 
and  Virginia,  respectively,  but  who  were 
also  numbered  among  the  pioneers  of  this 
county.  Mrs.  Banks  was  one  of  a  family 
of  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  By  this 
union  there  were  four  children,  one  of  whom 
died  in  infancy.  Mary  was  the  wife  of 
William  Van  Gundy.  She  died  leaving 
three  children:  Frank,  Harry  and  Clay. 
Rachel  E.  died  in  maidenhood.  Millard  C. 
grew  to  manhood  and  married  Ara  Hoover, 
daughter  of  George  L.  and  Susan  (Bane) 
Hoover,  who  are  natives  of  Virginia,  but 
who  now  reside  in  McLean  county.  Three 
boys  have  come  to  bless  this  union.  Earl, 
Cassius  Cassel  and  George  James.  Mrs. 
Rebedca  Banks  departed  this  life  February 


19,  1890,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years,  and 
her  remains  were  interred  in  the  Dawson 
cemetery.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church,  and  died  in  the 
hope  of  a  blessed  resurrection  and  a  life  be- 
yond the  grave,  where  there  shall  be  a  re- 
union of  loved  ones. 

Mr.  Banks  has  been  honored  by  the 
citizens  of  .the  township  with  various  offices 
of  honor  and  trust.  For  years  he  occupied 
the  responsible  position  of  school  director 
and  did  all  in  his  power  to  advance  the 
interests  of  the  public  schools.  He  also 
served  as  a  member  of  the  county  board  of 
supervisors,  making  an  efficient  member  of 
that  body.  As  postmaster  of  Senex  he 
served  for  one  year,  the  post  office  being 
in  his  house.  In  politics  he  has  been  a 
Republican  since  the  organization  of  the 
party,  and  has  always  been  an  advocate  of 
its  principles.  Locally,  however,  he  votes 
for  the  best  man  nominated  for  office.  He 
is  non-sectarian  in  his  religious  views,  and 
endeavors  to  gauge  his  conduct  by  the 
golden  rule.  He  has  been  an  extensive 
reader  of  the  current  events  of  the  day, 
and  always  endeavors  to  be  posted  on  what 
is  going  on  in  his  state  and  nation. 

Although  he  has  reached  almost  his 
four  score  years,  he  is  yet  hale  and  hearty, 
sound  in  body  and  mind,  and  is  surrounded 
by  many  friends.  He  likes  to  meet  with 
his  associates  of  the  past,  and  recall  the 
events  of  the  days  gone  by,  the  time  when 
the  country  was  new,  when  wild  game  of 
all  kinds  abounded,  when  men  and  women 
went  to  church  in  common  everyday  gar- 
ments and  worshiped  God  with  all  the  zeal 
possible.  For  the  purpose  of  keeping  up 
the  memories  of  the  past  and  to  renew  old 
acquaintances,  he  assisted  in  organizing  the 
old  settlers'  society,  which  has  its  meetings, 


212 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


annually.  While  the  ranks  of  the  pioneers 
are  thinning  very  fast  it  is  needful  that  the 
present  generation  should  know  of  the  toils 
they  endured  and  give  them  the  reverence 
their  due.  To  no  man  in  McLean  county 
is  greater  honor  due  in  this  respect  than 
to  Marks  Banks,  the  pioneer  of  1823. 


COLONEL  HENRY  G.  REEVES.  It 
is  a  well  attested  maxim  that  the 
greatness  of  a  state  lies  not  in  its  machin- 
ery for  government,  nor  even  in  its  institu- 
tions, but  in  the  sterling  qualities  of  its  in- 
dividual citizens,  in  their  capacity  for  high 
and  unselfish  eiYort  and  their  devotion  to 
the  public  good.  The  name  of  Colonel 
Reeves  is  one  which  has  been  long  and 
conspicuously  identified  with  the  history  of 
Illinois,  and  the  goal  toward  which  he  has 
hastened  during  his  many  years  of  toil  and 
endeavor  is  that  which  is  attained  only  by 
such  as  have  by  patriotism  and  wise  counsel 
given  the  world  an  impetus  toward  the 
good;  such  have  earned  the  right  and  title 
to  have  their  names  enduringly  inscribed  on 
the  pages  of  history. 

He  was  born  in  Pitttsburg,  Pennsylvania, 
June  12,  1844,  a  son  of  Barnes  C.  and 
Mary  M.  (Gray)  Reeves.  His  paternal 
great-grandfather,  Abner  Reeves,  was  an 
officer  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  a  member 
of  the  New  Jersey  troops,  and  his  commis- 
sion is  now  a  cherished  heirloom  in  posses- 
sion of  the  Colonel.  The  grandfather  was 
Manassah  Reeves,  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
father  was  born  near  Monongahela,  Penn- 
sylvania, was  there  reared  and  when  a 
young  man  went  to  Pittsburg,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business.  In  the 
latter  city  he  married  Miss  Mary,  daughter 
of   James    Gray,    one  of    the  pioneers    and 


prominent  citizens  of  Pittsburg.  He  was  a 
native  of  Ireland,  was  of  Scotch  ancestry, 
and  in  his  religious  faith  was  a  Presbyterian. 
In  politics  James  Gray  was  a  Democrat  and 
was  a  personal  acquaintance  of  Jackson  and 
Van  Buren.  In  1S55  Barnes  C.  Reeves  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  a  farm  in  Old- 
town  township  and  there  made  his  home 
until  his  death.  He  died  in  1856,  leaving 
a  widow  and  three  children,  of  whom  the 
Colonel  is  the  eldest. 

The  childhood  of  our  subject  was  spent 
in  Pittsburg  and  on  the  old  farm  until  i860, 
when  he  entered  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity, pursuing  his  studies  there  until  after 
the  inauguration  of  the  civil  war,  when  with 
many  of  his  college  chums  he  enlisted  in 
Company  G,  Sixty-eighth  Illinois  Infantry, 
in  May,  1862,  when  not  yet  eighteen  years 
of  age.  The  regiment  was  assigned  to  the 
army  of  the  Potomac  and  he  remained  with 
his  command  until  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  service. 

After  receiving  an  honorable  discharge 
at  the  close  of  his  service  Mr.  Reeves  en- 
gaged in  teaching  school  and  completed  his 
University  course  by  graduation  in  the  class 
of  1866.  He  had  the  honor  of  being  salu- 
tatorian,  and  was  graduated  with  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  He  immediately  began 
the  study  of  law  with  Judge  O.  T.  Reeves, 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1867  and  with 
the  exception  of  the  periods  spent  away 
from  the  city  or  in  official  service  has  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  his  profession  con- 
tinuously since,  meeting  with  excellent 
success  in  his  endeavors.  In  course  of  time 
he  took  the  Master  of  Arts  degree  and 
served  as  attorney  for  his  alma  mater  for 
ten  or  twelve  years  or  until  he  went  to 
Springfield  on  official  duty. 

The  Colonel    is    a  stalwart    Republican 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


213 


and  has  long  taken  a  personal  interest  in 
politics,  doing  all  in  his  power  to  promote 
the  growth  and  insure  the  success  of  his 
party.  He  has  served  as  alderman  of  the 
sixth  ward  of  Bloomington,  and  throughout 
Governor  Fifer's  administration  he  served 
as  his  private  secretary.  Immediately  on 
his  retirement  from  that  office  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  Governor  Altgeld  on  the  court 
of  claims  as  its  Republican  member  for  a 
term  of  four  years.  He  was  for  many  years 
a  member  and  judge  advocate  of  the  Second 
Brigade  of  the  Illinois  National  Guards, 
and  has  always  maintained  an  interest  in 
military  affairs. 

Colonel  Reeves  was  united  in  marriage 
in  Bloomington,  December  25,  1867,  to 
Miss  Harriet  Niccolls,  a  daughter  of  John 
Niccolls,  one  of  the  early  residents  of 
Bloomington,  to  which  city  he  removed 
from  Pennsylvania.  They  have  one  child, 
Violet  N.  The  parents  have  long  been 
faithful  and  consistent  members  of  Grace 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  The  Colonel 
is  a  member  of  the  College  Alumni  Associa- 
tion, and  for  some  years  was  its  president. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity and  a  member  of  the  State  Bar 
Association.  He  was  on  the  program  at  a 
meeting  in  which  they  had  addresses  from 
Vice-President  Stevenson,  Judge  Blodgett 
and  Mr.  Burrough.  He  delivered  an  ad- 
dress on  "The  question  as  to  whether  this 
state  ought  to  have  a  new  constitution," 
taking  strong  grounds  in  favor  thereof  in  a 
most  able,  earnest  and  carefully  prepared 
speech.  He  also  delivered  the  same  ad- 
dress before  the  gathering  of  the  state  board 
of  supervisors,  it  being  a  matter  of  vital 
interest  to  the  commonwealth.  It  was  a 
most  clear  and  masterful  argument,  setting 
forth  the  condition  of  our  state  at  the  time 


of  the  adoption  of  its  various  constitutions, 
the  transformations  that  have  since  been 
wrought,  and  the  necessity  for  a  new  or- 
ganic law  brought  about  by  our  different 
methods  of  business  and  political  life  at  the 
present  time.  He  strongly  urged  the  curb- 
ing of  the  powers  of  trusts  and  corporations, 
the  just  assessment  of  all  property,  whether 
belonging  to  an  individual  or  a  company, 
and  the  adoption  of  a  provision  whereby 
representation  shall  not  depend  entirely 
upon  population  but  also  upon  the  extent 
of  territory  which  the  designated  population 
shall  occupy.  This  is  to  keep  the  control 
of  the  state  from  ever  entering  the  hands  of 
Chicago,  for  in  the  course  of  a  few  years 
the  metropolis  of  Illinois  would  find  it  pos- 
sible to  dominate  the  entire  commonwealth. 
The  whole  address  was  marked  by  prac- 
tical common  sense,  looking  to  the  inter- 
ests of  the  majority  and  not  of  the  minority 
of  millionaires  and  capitalists,  and  was  per- 
meated by  a  patriotic  spirit  which  has 
characterized  the  entire  career  of  Colonel 
Henry  G.  Reeves,  one  of  Bloomington's 
most  honored  and  respected  citizens. 


SAMUEL  BUSH  is  one  of  the  honored 
pioneer  residents  of  Chenoa,  whose  life 
is  a  verification  of  the  fact  that  the  inevita- 
ble law  of  destiny  accords  a  tireless  energy, 
industry  and  ability  a  successful  career.  A 
community  depends  upon  commercial  ac- 
tivity, its  welfare  is  due  to  this,  and  the 
promoter  of  extensive  and  legitimate  busi- 
ness enterprises  may  well  be  termed  its 
benefactor.  Prominent  in  his  adopted  city 
stands  Samuel  Bush,  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  was  born  in  Shippensburg, 
Cumberland  county,  on  the  5th  of  June, 
1822.      His  parents  were  John  and  Rebecca 


214 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


(Boilue)  Bush,  both  of  Pennsylvania,  who 
came  to  McLean  county  in  1857,  locating 
and  building  the  first  house  in  Chenoa. 
The  former  opened  a  hotel  here,  the  Bush 
House,  which  he  conducted  for  a  number 
of  years.  He  was  a  cabinet-maker  by  trade, 
and  in  this  pursuit  was  engaged  for  fifty 
years.  In  politics  he  was  a  Republican,  to 
which  party  he  gave  his  support.  His 
death  occurred  in  18S2,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety  years,  and  that  of  his  wife  ten 
years  previously,  when  in  her  eighty-first 
year. 

Of  the  eight  children  of  this  worthy 
couple  six  survive,  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
being  second  in  order  of  birth.  He  was 
reared  in  his  native  town  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  received  his  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools,  and  where  he  learned  the 
cabinet-maker's  trade,  in  which  he  was  en- 
gaged for  twenty-five  years.  Upon  reach- 
ing his  majority  he  started  in  business  for 
himself,  and  worked  at  various  points  in  the 
east,  until  his  thirty-sixth  year,  when,  in 
1858,  he  removed  to  McLean  county,  set- 
tling in  Chenoa,  where  his  parents  had  pre- 
ceded him  by  one  year.  He  followed  his 
trade  here  and  in  the  surrounding  counties 
until  1861,  when  at  the  opening  of  the  civil 
war  he  enlisted  as  a  member  of  Company 
D,  Eleventh  Illinois  Cavalry,  under  Captain 
Armstrong,  with  Colonel  R.  Ingersoll  in 
command.  He  entered  the  regiment  in 
1 86 1  as  a  sergeant,  and  received  promo- 
tions throughout  the  various  campaigns,  un- 
til at  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  holding 
the  commission  of  first  lieutenant.  He  par- 
ticipated in  a  number  of  prominent  battles, 
among  which  were  Shiloh,  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing, Corinth,  Memphis  and  various  minor 
conflicts.  In  1865  he  returned  to  McLean 
county    and    purchased    a     farm    of    eighty 


acres,  trading  it  after  a  time  for  the  Smith 
Hotel  in  Chenoa,  which  he  conducted  for  a 
time,  and  later  another  hotel,  the  Exchange, 
which  he  soon  abandoned.  In  1876  Mr. 
Bush  took  up  a  claim  in  Kansas,  which  he 
sold  after  three  years  and  returned  to  Che- 
noa. In  1883  he  went  to  Texas  and  spent 
two  years  on  a  ranch,  going  later  to  Fort 
Worth  for  a  short  time,  and  then  returning 
to  Chenoa,  where  he  now  lives  a  retired  life. 
On  the  loth  of  April,  1877,  Mr.  Bush  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  East. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  and  in  politics  gives  his  support 
to  the  Republican  platform.  In  manner  he 
is  pleasant  and  affable,  and  a  stranger  in  his 
presence  is  at  once  perfectly  at  ease. 


SAMUEL  R.  HILTS,  who  resides  in  a 
beautiful  home  on  section  i  5,  Towanda 
township,  where  he  and  wife  owns  eighty 
acres  of  fine  farming  land,  together  with  an 
additional  eighty  acres  on  section  14,  is 
numbered  among  the  most  progressive 
farmers  in  the  township.  He  was  born 
September  17,  1866,  near  the  village  of 
Towanda,  on  his  father's  farm,  and  is  the 
son  of  George  and  Mary  (Wilmuth)  Hilts. 
He  is  one  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  the 
others  being  Walter  C,  chief  clerk  in  the 
office  of  the  Port  Arthur  Land  and  Insur- 
ance company,  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri; 
Dr.  Mark  B.,  a  practicing  physician  of 
Sloan,  Iowa;  Anna,  wife  of  James  Jeffrey, 
of  Sloan,  Iowa;  Jessie,  wife  of  Frank  Ray- 
burn,  of  Jefferson,  Iowa;  Effie,  who  is  teach- 
ing in  the  public  schools  of  Oregon,  Illinois; 
Laura,  who  is  engaged  in  teaching  in  the 
public  schools  of  Sloan,  Iowa. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  grew  to  man- 
hood on  his  father's  farm  in  Towanda  town- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


215 


ship,  and  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools.  He  remained  at  home,  assisting 
in  the  cultivation  6{  the  home  farm  until  he 
attained  his  majority.  He  was  married 
December  3,  1895,  to  Miss  Anna  Jones, 
daughter  of  Nelson  and  Eliza  (White)  Jones, 
by  whom  he  has  one  son,  Noel  Jones, 
named  in  honor  of   his  great-grandmother. 

As  a  life  calling,  Mr.  Hilts  selected 
farming,  an  occupation  to  which  he  had 
been  reared,  and  the  year  succeeding  his 
marriage  they  erected  their  present  fine  and 
substantial  residence,  in  which  they  have 
since  continued  to  reside.  He  is  a  good 
farmer,  and  thoroughly  understands  his 
business,  and  in  addition  to  a  general  line 
of  farming,  he  has  made  a  specialty  of  the 
breeding  of  Poland-China  hogs  of  pure 
blood.  He  has  been  very  careful  in  the 
selection  of  his  stock,  especially  for  breed- 
ing purposes,  and  his  herd  contains  some 
choice  animals  of  undoubted  pedigree. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hilts  is  a  Republican, 
with  which  party  he  has  been  identified 
since  attaining  his  majority.  He  has  served 
as  collector  of  his  township,  discharging  the 
duties  of  the  office  most  efficiently  during 
the  years  1893-94.  Fraternally,  he  is  a 
member  of  Success  Lodge,  No.  480,  K.  P., 
of  Towanda,  and  has  passed  all  the  chairs. 
In  religious  belief  he  is  a  Presbyterian,  and 
he  and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
church  of  that  denomination  in  Towanda. 
Both  are  highly  esteemed  for  their  many 
good  qualities  of  head  and  heart,  and  they 
have  many  friends  in  the  township  and 
county. 


CHARLES    E.    MOOTS,   a  progressive 
farmer    and    stock    raiser    of    Money 

Creek  township,  resides  on   the   old   home- 
11 


stead  of  his  father  on  section  18,  where  he 
is  engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock 
raising.  He  was  born  November  1 1,  1863, 
on  the  place  where  he  now  resides,  and  is 
the  son  of  Charles  M.  and  Adaline  (Busick) 
Moots,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the 
latter  of  McLean  county,  Illinois.  Charles 
Moots,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was 
also  born  in  Ohio,  and  there  his  son,  Charles 
M.,  spent  the  first  eighteen  years  of  his  life, 
after  which  he  came  to  McLean  county, 
Illinois,  and  located  in  the  village  of 
McLean.  He  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade 
and  followed  that  occupation  for  some  years 
after  coming  to  the  county.  It  was  not  his 
intention,  however,  to  make  that  his  life 
work,  and  as  soon  as  his  means  would  per- 
mit he  invested  his  earnings,  purchasing 
eighty  acres  of  the  farm  on  which  our  sub- 
ject now  resides.  From  time  to  time  he 
added  to  its  area  until  he  now  owns  three 
hundred  and  fifty  acres.  He  began  in  a 
very  early  day  to  make  a  specialty  of  raising 
horses  for  the  markets,  and  was  one  of  the 
first  to  bring  imported  horses  into  the 
vicinity.  In  1881  he  moved  to  Hudson, 
and  commenced  the  business  of  importing 
and  handling  draft  and  coach  horses.  He 
remained  at  Hudson  for  three  years  and 
then  moved  to  Normal,  where  he  still  con- 
tinues to  live,  and  where  until  quite  recently 
he  was  actively  engaged  in  the  horse  busi- 
ness. In  the  family  of  Charles  M.  and 
Adaline  Moots  were  nine  children,  seven  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity:  Mary,  wife  of  T.  C. 
Jenkins,  of  Money  Creek  township;  Frank, 
of  Helena,  Montana;  Ida,  wife  of  Wilbur 
Rogers,  of  Kansas;  Charles  E.,  our  subject; 
Lincoln,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine  years; 
Bunn  C,  a  farmer  of  Money  Creek  town- 
ship; Warren,  deceased;  Bert  and  Gertie, 
at  home. 


2l6 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared 
on  the  old  homestead  in  Money  Creek 
township,  and  in  the  public  schools  of  the 
township  he  received  a  good  common-school 
education.  Since  attaining  his  majority  he 
has  been  carrying  on  the  home  farm  with 
good  success.  In  1889  he  purchased  in 
Ohio  the  inaported  coach  horse,  Prince,  and 
since  that  time  has  dealt  quite  extensively 
in  thoroughbred  stock.  For  the  past  five 
years  he  has  made  a  specialty  of  handling 
and  training  saddle  horses.  He  has  now 
Noel  Fox,  a  fine  coach  horse,  which  has 
won  prizes  at  various  local  fairs,  and  also 
at  the  state  fair  at  Springfield,  Illinois. 

On  the  loth  of  September,  1885,  Mr. 
Moots  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Re- 
becca Michaels,  daughter  of  Aaron  and 
Martha  (Blough)  Michaels,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Germany  who  came  to  the  United 
States  a  boy  of  nine  years,  and  grew  to 
manhood  near  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  latter  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
where  Mrs.  Moots  was  also  born.  The  lat- 
ter was  one  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children, 
as  follows:  Amanda,  who  died  in  childhood; 
Albert,  who  resides  in  Richland  county, 
Illinois;  Benjamin,  of  Johnston  county,  Mis- 
souri; Noah,  a  farmer  of  Money  Creek  town- 
ship ;  Peter  now  living  in  the  state  of  Oregon ; 
Sarah,  wife  of  John  Hedrick,  of  Money 
Creek  township;  Mary  V.,  the  deceased 
wife  of  John  E.  Gladheart,  of  Olney,  Illinois; 
Rebecca,  wife  of  our  subject;  Daniel,  who 
died  in  childhood;  John,  who  resides  with 
his  sister,  Ira,  a  farmer  of  Hudson  township; 
William  and  Willard,  twins,  both  of  whom 
died  in  infancy. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moots  six  children 
have  been  born — Florence,  Herbert  Spen- 
cer, Hazel,  Edna,  Fern  and  Frank  Dow. 
In  politics,  Mr.  Moots  is  a  Republican,  but 


he  is  not  a  politician  in  the  sense  of  office- 
seeking.  The  only  official  position  held  by 
him  was  that  of  road  commissioner,  an  office 
which  he  filled  for  two  years.  Fraternally, 
he  is  a  member  of  Towanda  Lodge,  No.  437, 
and  religiously  he  and  his  wife  are  members 
of  the  United  Brethren  church,  and  in  the 
work  of  which  they  are  much  interested. 
He  is  one  of  the  members  of  the  official 
board.  They  are  both  well  known  and  are 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all. 


ROBERT  K.  LEECH.  The  records  of 
the  lives  of  our  forefathers  are  of  inter- 
est to  the  modern  citizen,  not  alone  for 
their  historical  value  but  also  for  the  in- 
spiration and  example  they  afford  ;  yet  we 
need  not  look  to  the  past.  Although  sur- 
roundings may  differ  the  essential  condi- 
tions of  human  life  are  ever  the  same,  and 
a  man  can  learn  from  the  success  of  those 
around  him  if  he  will  heed  the  obvious  les- 
sons contained  in  their  history.  In  business 
affairs,  Mr.  Leech  is  energetic,  prompt  and 
notably  reliable,  and  the  success  that  he  has 
achieved  in  life  is  due  entirely  to  his  own 
well-directed  labors. 

He  was  born  in  McKeesport,  Allegheny 
county,  Pennsylvania,  September  2,  1831, 
a  son  of  James  and  Dorcas  (McKee)  Leech. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Westmoreland 
county,  the  same  state,  and  being  reared  to 
agricultural  pursuits  he  became  a  successful 
and  prominent  farmer,  owning  a  large  farm 
which  extended  almost  from  the  Mononga- 
hela  to  the  Allegheny  river.  Upon  that  place 
he  continued  to  reside  until  called  to  his  final 
rest.  In  the  same  neighborhood  was  born  and 
reared  his  first  wife,  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, whose  brothers  and  family  laid  out  the 
town  of  McKeesport  and  are  to-day  quite 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


217 


prominent  there  and  in  Pittsburg.  Our 
subject's  parents  both  held  membership  in 
the  United  Presbyterian  church,  in  which 
the  father  served  as  elder  and  was  an  active 
worker.  To  them  were  born  eight  children, 
namely:  Jane,  who  is  married  and  lives  in 
Pennsylvania;  David,  a  resident  of  Lincoln, 
Illinois;  James,  who  is  one  of  Pittsburg's 
distinguished  citizens;  Henry,  who  died  in 
Bloomington;  Robert  K.,  our  subject;  John, 
deceased;  William,  still  a  resident  of  Al- 
toona,  Pennsylvania;  and  Dorcas,  deceased. 
The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
one  of  three  brothers  who  came  to  this 
country  from  the  south  of  Scotland  and  set- 
tled in  Allegheny  county,  Pennsylvania,  at 
an  early  day.  He  served  in  the  Revolution- 
ary army. 

As  the  nearest  school  house  to  his  child- 
hood home  was  six  miles  distant,  Robert 
K.  Leech  had  no  educational  advantages 
before  he  reached  the  age  of  ten  years. 
He  then  went  to  live  with  a  man  nearer  the 
school  andwasto  have  been  allowed  to  pursue 
his  studies  there  three  months  each  winter, 
but  only  received  five  months'  instruction 
in  all.  By  subsequent  study  and  observa- 
tion, however,  he  obtained  a  good  practical 
education,  and  before  the  presidential  elec- 
tion of  1852  began  to  read  in  order  that  he 
might  vote  intelligently.  At  that  time  he 
was  a  supporter  of  the  Whig  party  and 
since  its  dissolution  has  been  an  ardent 
Republican. 

During  his  youth,  Mr.  Leech  learned  the 
mason's  trade,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
years  started  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  the 
world.  In  the  fall  of  1852  he  came  to  Rock 
Island,  Illinois,  where  he  worked  until  the 
following  spring,  and  then  went  to  Cedar 
county,  Iowa.  There  he  started  in  business 
for  himself  as  a   contractor  and  met  with 


excellent  success.  After  working  in  differ- 
ent places,  he  finally  located  in  Decatur 
county,  Iowa,  where  he  was  married  March 
20,  1859,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Michael.  For 
two  years  he  made  his  home  there  and  then 
came  to  Bloomington,  where  his  wife's  peo- 
ple were  living,  leaving  Decatur  county  on 
the  day  Fort  Sumter  was  fired  upon.  Soon 
afterward  he  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Ninety- 
fourth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was 
sent  to  Benton  Barracks,  Springfield,  Mis- 
souri, where  he  was  taken  ill  and  left.  He 
was  finally  able  to  rejoin  his  regiment  in 
month  of  March,  1862,  at  Gladden  Val- 
ley, Missouri,  and  remained  with  it  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  participated  in 
the  sieges  of  Fort  Morgan,  Vicksburg  and 
Morganzie  Bend,  was  also  at  Brownsville, 
Texas,  and  when  hostilities  ceased  was 
honorably  discharged.  After  his  return  to 
Bloomington,  Mr.  Leech  engaged  in  the 
grocery  and  meat  business  on  Front  street 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  on  selling  out 
again  turned  his  attention  to  contracting 
in  masonry.  He  has  laid  a  large  num- 
ber of  foundations  in  the  city,  and  has 
also  laid  the  sewers  and  done  other  work 
for  the  city,  employing  a  large  force  of 
men.  He  has  erected  and  owns  a  good 
double  flat  at  607  Jefferson  street. 

Five  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Leech,  namely:  William  died  at  the  age  of 
thirty-one  years,  leaving  a  widow  and  one 
child,  Bessie,  who  are  now  living  in  San 
Antonio,  Texas;  Katie  F.,  a  very  prominent 
young  lady,  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  her,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-three 
years;  Lena  M.  is  the  wife  of  James  R. 
Clark,  of  Bloomington,  and  has  one  child, 
James  R.,  Jr.;  Norma  F.  is  the  wife  of 
William  Masters,  a  farmer  near  Petersburg, 
Illinois,  and  has  one  child,  Edith;  and  John 


2l8 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


has  been  superintendent  of  the  fifth  division 
of  the  government  printing  office  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. ,  for  the  past  nine  years.  Mr. 
Leech  attends  and  supports  the  Baptist 
church,  of  which  his  wife  is  a  faithful  mem- 
ber, and  socially  he  affiliates  with  W.  T. 
Sherman  Post,  G.  A.  R. 


FRANCIS  M.  JONES  was  for  many 
years  actively  identified  with  the  agri- 
cultural interests  of  McLean  county,  but  is 
now  living  retired  in  the  city  of  Blooming- 
ton,  though  he  still  owns  and  successfully 
manages  three  valuable  farms  in  this  re- 
gion and  one  in  Arizona.  He  is  a  native 
of  Ohio,  born  seven  miles  from  Springfield, 
March  8,  1833,  and  is  a  son  of  Abraham 
R.  and  Matilda  (Noel)  Jones.  The  birth  of 
the  father  occurred  in  Cayuga  county.  New 
York,  October  17,  1791,  and  in  that  state 
he  spent  his  boyhood  and  youth.  During 
pioneer  days,  in  1808,  he  accompanied  his 
parents,  Benjamin  and  Mariam  (Russ) 
Jones,  on  their  removal  to  Champaign 
county,  Ohio,  locating  near  Urbana.  The 
grandfather  was  of  Welsh  origin  and  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 

After  residing  in  Champaign  county  for 
a  time,  Benjamin  Jones  removed  to  Clark 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  made  his  home, 
married  and  reared  his  family,  prior  to  his 
coming  to  Illinois  in  1856.  During  the 
war  of  1812,  the  father  of  our  subject  was 
engaged  in  hauling  provisions  for  the 
soldiers.  On  the  20th  of  May,  18 13,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Matilda 
Noel,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky,  July  29, 
1795,  but  soon  after  her  birth  her  parents 
removed  to  Maryland,  where  they  lived 
for  seven  years  before  going  to  Clark 
county,    Ohio.     They  were  of  German  de- 


scent. Purchasing  a  farm  near  Springfield, 
Ohio,  Abraham  R.  Jones  engaged  in  its 
operation  until  1856,  and  was  one  of  the 
extensive  farmers  of  that  locality.  In  that 
year  he  sold  his  interests  in  the  Buckeye 
state  and  came  to  McLean  county,  Illinois. 
In  Towanda  township  he  bought  a  farm, 
which  our  subject  carried  on,  while  he  lived 
retired  from  active  labor,  enjoying  a  well- 
earned  rest.  In  early  life  he  was  a  Whig, 
as  were  the  other  members  of  the  family, 
and  later  he  became  a  stanch  supporter  of 
the  Republican  party.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  were  earnest  and  faithful  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  with  which 
she  united  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  and 
were  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  knew 
them.  He  died  February  13,  1865,  and 
she  passed  away  March  7,  1880. 

In  the  family  of  this  worthy  couple  were 
ten  children,  all  of  whom  reached  years  of 
maturity  with  the  exception  of  one,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  one  and  a  half  years. 
The  others  were  as  follows:  John,  who  died 
in  Ohio,  December  22,  1845;  Levi,  who  is 
still  a  resident  of  Springfield,  that  state; 
William,  who  died  in  this  county,  February 
2,  1894;  Eliza  A.,  a  resident  of  Towanda, 
Illinois;  Cyrus,  who  is  living  retired  in  San 
Jose,  California;  Abraham,  who  died  in 
McLean  county,  April  4,  1878;  Nelson,  a 
prominent  farmer  of  this  county,  who  died 
February  26,  1896;  Phcebe,  wife  of  Martin 
Arthur,  of  Towanda;  and  Francis  M.,  of 
this  review. 

The  early  education  of  our  subject  was 
acquired  in  the  country  schools  near  Spring- 
field, Ohio,  and  he  later  attended  Witten- 
burg  College  in  that  city,  receiving  much 
better  advantages  than  the  average  boy  of 
his  time.  He  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  until  the  fall  of  1850,  when  he  came  to 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


219 


McLean  county,  Illinois,  on  a  visit,  riding 
horseback  the  entire  way  and  being  nine 
days  upon  the  road.  Returning  to  his 
father's  farm,  he  remained  there  until  the 
summer  of  1852,  when  he  again  came  on 
horseback  to  this  county,  bringing  with  him 
land  warrants  or  soldier's  scrip  to  nine  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres.  He  entered  his 
land  at  the  land  office  at  Danville,  which 
was  re-opened  in  1852  after  being  closed  on 
account  of  locating  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road lands.  He  had  quite  an  experience  in 
getting  his  lands  located,  as  there  was  a 
terrible  crowd.  He  secured  all  his  land  in 
Towanda  township,  it  having  been  previ- 
ously examined  by  him,  and  a  part  of  it  he 
still  owns.  His  brothers  were  also  inter- 
ested in  the  land,  and  they  at  once  turned 
their  attention  to  their  improvement  and 
cultivation.  One  year  Mr.  Jones  herded 
cattle,  which,  after  fattening  for  market, 
he  drove  to  Chicago,  where  they  were  killed 
and  sold  at  dead  weight.  In  the  fall  of 
1855  he  went  to  Texas,  where  he  spent  the 
following  winter,  and  on  his  return  to  Illi- 
nois in  the  spring  of  1856  began  breaking 
prairie.  That  year  his  father  arrived  in  Mc- 
Lean county,  and  our  subject  was  in  partner- 
ship with  him  in  their  farming  operations 
until  the  latter's  death.  He  had  previously 
purchased  an  adjoining  farm,  and  after  the 
mother's  death  bought  the  interests  of  the 
other  heirs  in  the  old  homestead,  which  he 
still  owns,  having  here  two  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  Besides  his  place  he  owns 
two  other  large  farms  in  the  county  and  one 
in  Arizona.  Upon  his  home  farm  he  erected 
a  good  residence  in  1872,  and  made  many 
other  improvements  which  added  to  its 
value  and  attractive  appearance,  so  that  it 
is  now  one  of  the  most  desirable  farms  in 
f.he  township.      Always  a  progressive  and 


enterprising  man,  he  was  the  first  to  bring 
a  reaper  into  the  neighborhood,  it  being  an 
old  Atkinson,  which  he  purchased  in  1856 
or  1857,  and  hauled  from  Chicago  by  wag- 
ons. He  also  introduced  short-horn  Dur- 
ham cattle  and  Poland  China  hogs  into  this 
region,  and  although  he  did  not  make  a 
specialty  of  exhibiting  his  stock  at  fairs,  he 
took  many  premiums  when  they  were 
shown. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  1858,  Mr. 
Jones  married  Miss  Ann  Maria  Hampleman, 
of  Clinton,  Illinois,  who  was  born  in  Clark 
county,  Ohio,  October  18,  1839.  Her 
father,  Daniel  Hampleman,  was  also  born 
near  Springfield,  Ohio,  March  7,  1816,  and 
there  grew  to  manhood.  He  was  married 
January  3,  1839,  to  Miss  Sarah  Fletcher, 
who  was  born  in  Greene  county,  Ohio, 
April  14,  1 82 1.  They  lived  for  some  time  in 
Clarke  county,  Ohio,  but  when  Mrs.  Jones 
was  a  child  of  three  years  removed  to  Perry 
county,  Illinois,  where  the  father  engaged 
in  farming  for  four  years,  returning  to  Clark 
county,  Ohio,  at  the  end  of  that  time.  In 
the  fall  of  185 1  he  again  came  west,  and 
this  time  located  near  Crawfordsville, 
Montgomery  county,  Indiana,  where  in  the 
midst  of  a  heavily  timbered  track,  he  and 
a  brother-in-law,  William  Lewis,  erected 
a  sawmill.  Here  much  of  the  material  for 
the  early  homes  of  that  region  was  cut. 
Mr.  Hampleman  sold  his  property  there  in 
1853  and  came  to  Illinois,  locating  on  a 
farm  near  Clinton,  where  he  still  resides. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  a  highly 
respected  citizen  of  his  community.  His 
estimable  wife  died  November  13,  1867. 
Of  the  nine  children  born  to  them  three 
died  in  infancy.  The  others  areas  follows: 
Ann  Maria,  wife  of  our  subject;  Emily,  de- 
ceased wife   of  John  White,    of  Blooming- 


220 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ton;  Percy  Laura,  deceased  wife  of  Charles 
Davis,  of  Leroy;  Marion,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  years;  Albert,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty-nine,  leaving  four  chil- 
dren, at  Clinton,  Illinois;  and  Elizabeth, 
wife  of  Joseph  Abbott,  of  Towanda. 

Mrs.  Jones'  paternal  grandfather  was 
George  Hempleman,  as  the  name  was  then 
spelled.  He  was  born  near  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania,  about  1788,  and  was  a  son 
of  George  and  Margaret  (Duffy)  Hemple- 
man, both  natives  of  Germany,  the  former 
born  in  1732,  the  latter  in  1734.  They 
came  to  America  in  1752  and  were  married 
the  same  year.  They  located  within  three 
miles  of  Philadelphia,  where  were  born  to 
them  four  children:  Elizabeth,  George, 
Catherine  and  Nancy.  At  an  early  day  the 
family  removed  to  Clark  county,  Ohio,  set- 
tling on  the  south  fork  of  the  Little  Miami 
river,  where  the  father  died  in  1842  at  the 
extreme  old  age  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
years,  and  was  buried  at  South  Charleston, 
that  county.  He  was  a  hero  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  His  wife  died  in  Virginia,  in 
1805.  George  Hempleman,  jr.,  became  a 
farmer  of  Clark  county,  Ohio,  where  he 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  dying 
there  in  1853.  He  was  twice  married,  his 
first  wife  being  Ruth  Howell,  who  died  in 
1825,  leaving  a  family  of  nine  children: 
Nancy,  Elizabeth,  Susan,  Delilah,  Margaret, 
Henry,  Daniel,  Mary  Ann  and  Cynthia. 
The  second  wife  was  Sarah  Bilderback,  who 
died  in  1847,  and  to  them  were  born  twins: 
George  F.  and  Sarah. 

Seven  children  have  been  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Jones  but  three  are  now  deceased, 
namely:  Stella,  who  died  June  22,  1893,  ^t 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years;  Lola,  who  died 
December  6,  1866,  at  the  age  of  four  years; 
and  Max,  who  died    October  22,  1876,    at 


the  age  of  sixteen  months.  Those  living 
are  as  follows:  Price  N.,  who  resides  on 
the  home  farm,  married  Emma  Raridon,  of 
Towanda,  and  has  three  children:  Vesta, 
Essyl  and  Lenn;  Edwin  E.,  who  resides  in 
Bloomington,  but  also  owns  a  farm  in 
Towanda  township,  married  Josie  Shaw  and 
has  one  child.  Ebon;  Maurice  E.,  who  lives 
on  the  large  farm  of  his  uncle,  adjoining 
that  of  our  subject,  married  Alice  Rockle 
and  has  four  children:  Leora,  Erlma, 
Francis  William  and  Elmo;  and  Cyrus 
Grant,  of  Arizona,  married  Hortense  Frank- 
enberg  and  has  one  child,  Leona. 

Mr.  Jones  continued  to  actively  engage 
in  agricultural  pursuits  in  Towanda  town- 
ship for  many  years,  and  in  his  undertak- 
ings met  with  far  more  than  ordinary  suc- 
cess. Though  he  still  continues  to  manage 
his  farms,  he  is  now  practically  living  re- 
tired at  No.  507  East  Locust  street.  He 
also  rents  the  large  farm  of  seven  hundred 
acres  belonging  to  his  brother  in  California 
and  also  the  one  belonging  to  his  sister  in 
Towanda.  In  business  affairs  he  is  ener- 
getic, prompt,  and  notably  reliable.  His 
strict  integrity  and  honorable  dealing  com- 
mend him  to  the  confidence  of  all;  his 
pleasant  manner  wins  him  friends,  and  he  is 
one  of  the  popular  and  honored  citizens  of 
Bloomington.  He  was  made  a  Mason  at 
Towanda  Lodge  in  1867;  was  a  charter 
member  of  the  same  and  master  for  three 
years,  and  also  represented  it  in  the  grand 
lodge. 


M 


ORTON  V.  SHAVER,  a  well-known 
conductor  on  the  Chicago  &  Alton 
Railroad,  residing  in  Bloomington,  Illinois, 
is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  trusted  em- 
ployes of  that  road,  having  been  in  its  ser- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


221 


vice  continuously  since  1863.  He  was  born 
in  Ripley,  Chautauqua  county,  New  York, 
November  3,  1840,  and  belongs  to  a  family 
of  Holland  origin  on  the  father's  side  that 
was  founded  in  the  Mohawk  Valley  at  an 
early  day.  On  the  mother's  side  the  family 
is  of  Scotch  and  English  origin.  His  father 
had  two  uncles  who  were  at  Fort  Schuyler. 
The  father,  Henry  J.  Shaver,  was  born  near 
Troy,  Washington  county.  New  York,  July 
20,  1 78 1,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years 
removed  to  Oneida  county,  that  state,  loca- 
ting near  Rome,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  potash.  About  1836  he  re- 
moved to  Chautauqua  county,  where  he  fol- 
lowed the  same  business  and  later  conducted 
a  hotel  at  Quincy,  now  Ripley.  He  was 
twice  married,  the  second  time,  in  Rome, 
New  York,  to  Miss  Lois  Hemstead,  the 
mother  of  our  subject.  She  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 27,  1795,  and  was  a  daughter  of  James 
Hemstead,  whose  birth  occurred  November 
26,  1768.  By  this  union  four  children  were 
born  and  three  are  still  living,  namely:  Mrs. 
Susan  Leadingham,  of  Shenandoah,  Iowa; 
Mrs.  Eliza  Hubbard,  of  Spring  Prairie, 
Walworth  county,  Wisconsin;  and  Morton 
v.,  our  subject.  The  father  died  in  Ripley, 
New  York,  November  3,  1846,  on  our  sub- 
ject's si.xth  birthday,  and  the  mother  passed 
away  in  July,  1884,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-nine  years. 

The  first  thirteen  years  of  his  life  Mor- 
ton V.  Shaver  passed  in  his  native  place 
and  there  he  acquired  his  education.  He 
then  accompanied  his  mother  on  her  removal 
to  Walworth  county,  Wisconsin,  where  she 
owned  a  farm,  and  he  assisted  in  its  opera- 
tion for  four  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
he  went  to  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  where  he 
spent  a  year,  and  then  returned  home.  On 
the    president's    first    call    for    seventy-five 


thousand  volunteers  to  assist  in  putting 
down  the  Rebellion,  he  enlisted  for  three 
months  in  Company  A,  Tenth  Wisconsin 
Volunteer  Infantry,  but  the  time  was  after- 
ward extended  to  three  years.  With  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland,  he  participated 
in  the  battles  of  Perryville  and  Murfrees- 
boro.  From  wounds  received  in  the  latter 
engagement  and  also  from  disease  contracted 
in  the  army,  he  was  incapacitated  for 
further  duty  and  was  honorably  discharged 
from  the  service. 

Returning  to  Wisconsin,  Mr.  Shaver  re- 
mained there  until  his  health  was  somewhat 
restored,  and  in  the  spring  of  1863  came  to 
Bloomington,  where  he  entered  the  service 
of  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad  as  brake- 
man  on  a  freight  train.  A  year  and  a  half 
later  he  was  promoted  to  freight  conductor, 
and  held  that  position  for  twenty  years, 
considering  it  preferable  to  that  of  passenger 
conductor.  He  ran  a  through  freight  to 
Chicago  for  nine  years,  or  until  the  Kansas 
City  division  was  opened,  when  he  was 
made  conductor  of  a  through  freight  running 
to  Louisiana.  While  thus  employed  he 
contracted  ague,  and  at  the  end  of  two 
years  was  compelled  to  return  to  Blooming- 
ton.  For  four  years  and  a  half  he  ran  a 
passenger  train  from  Dwight  to  Washing- 
ton, and  it  was  during  this  time  that  Mr. 
Keeley,  of  the  gold  cure  fame,  was  doing  a 
most  extensive  business  at  the  former  place, 
having  as  many  as  thirteen  hundred  patients 
at  a  time.  Since  then  Mr.  Shaver's  runs 
have  all  been  in  and  out  of  Bloomington. 
There  is  no  man  in  central  Illinois  that  has 
been  longer  with  one  road  than  he,  as  for 
over  a  third  of  a  century  he  has  been  in  the 
employ  of  the  Chicago  &  Alton,  which  fact 
plainly  indicates  his  careful  attention  to 
business  and  the  trust  and  confidence  re- 


222 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


posed  in  him  by  the  company  which  he  has 
so  faithfully  served. 

In  1866  Mr.  Shaver  married  Miss  Minnie 
Rinnan,  of  Lexington,  Illinois,  whose  girl- 
hood was  passed  in  Galesburg,  and  who  is 
a  daughter  of  Erastus  Rinnan,  of  Scotch 
descent  on  the  father's  side  and  on  the 
mother's  side  of  Scotch  and  French  origin. 
Of  the  four  children  born  to  them,  two  are 
still  living:  Charles  H.,  a  conductor  on  the 
Southern  California  Railroad  and  a  resident 
of  San  Bernardino;  and  Mabel,  a  most  ac- 
complished young  lady  and  an  artist  of  rare 
ability,  who  is  at  home  with  her  parents. 
The  family  have  a  pleasant  home  at  the 
corner  of  North  West  and  Locust  streets. 
Politically  Mr.  Shaver  is  a  stanch  Republic- 
an, and  fraternally  is  an  honored  member 
of  the  Order  of  Railway  Conductors,  No. 
87;  W.  T.  Sherman  Post,  No.  146,  G.  A. 
R. ;  and  Evergreen  Lodge,  No.  265,  I.  O. 
O.  P.,  with  which  organization  he  has  been 
connected  for  thirty-three  years,  and  from 
which  he  received  a  veteran  badge  two 
years  ago. 


ELIJAH  HORR.  It  is  an  important 
public  duty  to  honor  and  perpetuate, 
as  far  as  possible,  the  memory  of  an 
eminent  citizen — one  who  by  his  blameless 
and  honorable  life  and  useful  career  re- 
flected credit  not  only  upon  his  city,  but 
upon  the  county  and  state  as  well.  Through 
such  memorials  as  this  at  hand  the  individual 
and  the  character  of  his  services  are  kept 
in  remembrance,  and  the  importance  of 
those  services  thus  stand  as  an  object 
lesson  to  those  who  come  after  him,  and 
though  dead  he  still  speaks.  Long  after  all 
recollection  of  his  personality  shall  have 
faded    from    the    minds    of    men,    the    less 


perishable  record  may  tell  the  story  of  his 
life  and  commend  his  example  for  imitation. 

Mr.  Horr,  who  was  for  years  prominently 
identified  with  the  interests  of  Bloomington 
and  McLean  county,  was  born  in  Denmark, 
New  York,  September  16,  1826,  a  son  of 
Peirsoll  and  Drusilla  Horr.  The  name  was 
originally  spelled  Hoar,  and  the  founder  of 
the  family  in  this  country  was  one  of  the 
early  Puritan  swho  located  in  Massachusetts. 
Senator  Hoar  comes  of  the  same  stock. 
The  first  nine  years  of  his  life  our  subject 
spent  in  his  native  place  and  then  accom- 
panied his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Old 
Town,  McLean  county,  Illinois,  where  the 
father  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death  in 
1 840.  The  son  then  went  to  work  for  seven 
dollars  per  month  and  with  the  money  thus 
earned  finished  paying  for  the  farm. 

Until  about  twenty-one  years  of  age,  Mr. 
Horr  continued  to  engage  in  agricultural 
pursuits,  and  then  worked  at  cabinet  mak- 
ing in  Bloomington  and  Clinton,  Illinois, 
for  a  time.  Later  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  A.  C.  Washburn  and  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business  on  Main  street,  Blooming- 
ton, until  their  store  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
Mr.  Horr  then  bought  out  his  partner,  re- 
built the  brick  block  now  standing,  and  con- 
tinued in  successful  business  there  for  some 
years.  Finally  selling  his  store,  he  bought 
the  Hodge  farm  and  again  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  agriculture  for  a  number  of  years, 
returning  to  the  city  in  March,  1886.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Harber  Brothers 
Company,  and  while  the  other  members  of 
the  firm  gave  their  attention  to  the  business, 
he  acted  as  overseer  in  the  building  of  their 
fine  new  warehouse  on  South  Main  street 
and  the  Lake  Erie  Railroad.  He  was  a 
heavy  stockholder  in  the  new  company  at 
the  time  of  its  incorporation,  and  was  also  a 


ELIJAH   HORR. 


THl   mew  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR,  LENOX 
TILDCN  FOUNDATIONS 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


225 


director  of  the  Third  National  Bank  for 
many  years.  Upon  the  death  of  Mr. 
Dooley  in  November,  1893,  he  was  made 
acting  president  of  the  bank  and  on  the  5th 
of  February,  1894,  was  elected  to  that 
position,  which  he  most  capably  filled  until 
he,  too,  was  called   to  his  final  rest  May  7, 

1895- 

On  the  1st  of  May,  1855,  Mr.  Horr 
married  Miss  Martha  Elizabeth  Packard,  of 
Bloomington,  a  daughter  of  Job  and  Martha 
(Clark)  Packard.  The  father,  who  was  an 
expert  gunsmith,  died  in  Massachusetts,  in 
1836.  The  Packard  family  was  originally 
from  England,  and  the  first  to  come  to  this 
country  located  in  Bridgewater,  Massachu- 
setts. Mrs.  Horr  was  born  in  Milbury,  that 
state;  she  went  to  school  at  Worcester, 
whither  her  mother  removed  on  the  death 
of  her  husband,  and  after  attending  the 
schools  at  that  place  and  Berlin  Academy, 
taught  one  term  in  Massachusetts  before 
coming  west.  In  the  fall  of  1849,  in  com- 
pany with  her  mother,  brother  Alvin,  and 
sister  Perces,  she  came  to  Bloomington  and 
taught  on  South  Centre  street  the  first 
school  that  ever  drew  public  money  in  the 
city.  She  not  only  conducted  that  school 
successfully,  but  also  taught  others  in  dwell- 
ings for  two  or  three  years,  and  had  charge 
of  the  Mount  Hope  and  Price  schools  and 
others  in  the  county,  being  one  of  the  popu- 
lar teachers  in  this  section  of  the  state  at 
that  time.  Although  she  has  no  children  of 
her  own,  Mrs.  Horr  has  reared  two,  Mrs. 
Fannie  P.  Harber  and  J.  Warren  Young, 
who  were  given  all  the  advantages  pos- 
sible. 

At  one  time  Mr.  Horr  was  a  member  of 
the  county  board  of  supervisors,  and  was 
one  of  the  advisory  committee  that  built 
the  new  court-house.      He  was  chairman  of 


the  board,  and  during  the  erection  of  that 
handsome  structure,  he  devoted  all  of  his 
time  during  the  day  and  many  of  his  even- 
ings to  the  business,  of  which  he  had  almost 
complete  charge.  He  bought  all  of  the 
material,  and  it  is  mainly  through  his  un- 
tiring labors  that  the  county  to-day  has  the 
finest  court-house  in  this  section  of  the  state. 
Of  the  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  ex- 
pended upon  it,  every  cent  was  accounted 
for,  and  so  ably  and  satisfactorily  was  every- 
thing done  that  there  was  not  a  single  law- 
suit. Mr.  Horr  built  the  residence  where 
Peleg  Soule  now  lives,  and  there  he  made 
his  home  a  short  time,  and  then  removed  to 
his  farm.  He  was  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful and'  honored  business  men  of  the  town; 
had  the  Confidence  and  respect  of  his  ten- 
ants and  business  associates,  and  was  held 
in  high,  regard  by  all  who  knew  him.  From 
the  organization  of  the  Republican  party  he 
was  one  of  its  stanch  supporters.  In  his 
life  span  of  over  sixty-eight  years  he  accom- 
plished much,  and  left  behind  him  an  honor- 
able record  well  worthy  of  perpetuation. 
Those  who  were  most  intimately  associated 
with  him  speak  in  unqualified  terms  of  his 
sterling  integrity,  his  honor  in  business  and 
his  fidelity  to  all  the  duties  of  public  and 
private  life.  He  attended  the  Baptist 
church.  Although  Mrs.  Horr  attended  that 
church  with  her  husband,  she  is  a  charter 
member  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  church, 
and  is  one  of  the  very  few  original  members 
now  living.  She  is  a  most  estimable  lady 
of  many  sterling  qualities,  and  has  a  large 
circle  of  friends  in  the  community. 


SAMUEL  B.   WRIGHT,   M.  D.,  a  well- 
known  physician  and  druggist  of  Stan- 
ford, has  for  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century 


226 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


enjoyed  a  successful  and  lucrative  practice 
in  his  chosen  profession,  and  as  the  result 
of  his  untiring  labors,  his  ambition,  his  en- 
ergy and  well  directed  efforts,  he  is  to-day 
the  possessor  of  a  comfortable  competence 
and  a  beautiful  home,  where  he  spends  his 
leisure  hours  enjoying  the  society  of  his 
family  and  friends  in  the  midst  of  all  the 
comforts  that  go  to  make  life  worth  the 
living. 

A  native  of  Tennessee,  Dr.  Wright  was 
born  at  Gallatin,  Sumner  county,  June  i8, 
1850,  and  is  a  son  of  John  M.  and  Mary 
(Wright)  Wright,  who  were  born,  reared 
and  married  in  Gallatin.  The  father,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  1820,  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation  and  was  quite  extensively  en- 
gaged in  stock  raising,  his  specialty  being 
blooded  horses.  After  his  marriage  he  lo- 
cated upon  his  farm  at  Gallatin,  where  he 
continued  to  reside  until  called  from  this 
life  in  1865.  His  wife  died  ten  years  be- 
fore, leaving  three  children,  of  whom  the 
Doctor  is  the  youngest. 

Dr.  Wright  obtained  his  literary  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  near  his  boyhood 
home  and  later  entered  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Nashville,  Tenn- 
essee, where  he  was  graduated  in  1875,  with 
all  the  honors  attached  to  such  a  profes- 
sion. He  also  attended  Vanderbilt  Univer- 
sity, of  Nashville,  Tennessee.  Immediately 
afterward  he  came  to  Stanford,  Illinois, 
and  opened  an  office.  A  few  years  later, 
having  met  with  success  financially  as  well 
as  professionally,  he  embarked  in  the  drug 
business  on  a  small  scale,  and  as  his  trade 
gradually  increased  he  sold  his  first  store 
and  erected  a  larger  and  better  building 
upon  property  which  he  purchased.  There 
he  has  since  engaged  in  business  with 
marked  success,  carrying  a  large  and  well 


assorted  stock  of  drugs,  patent  medicines, 
etc.,  and  he  also  devotes  considerable  time 
to  the  practice  of  medicine. 

On  the  23d  of  December,  1875,  Dr. 
Wright  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Rachel  Brooks,  a  daughter  of  P.  T.  and 
Eliza  Brooks,  who  were  old  settlers  of  Mc- 
Lean county.  Of  the  four  children  born  of 
this  union,  only  two  are  now  living,  namely: 
Katie,  who  is  attending  school  in  Eureka, 
Illinois;  and  Miles  E.  Wright,  of  Stanford. 
Mrs.  Wright  holds  membership  in  the 
Christian  church,  to  the  support  of  which 
the  Doctor  gives  liberally  although  not  a 
member.  Socially,  he  belongs  to  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees,  Royal  Neighbors  and  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in  all  of  which 
he  has  served  as  examining  physician  and 
is  still  filling  that  office.  He  has  been  a 
member  of  the  town  board,  and  has  had 
other  official  positions  offered  him,  but  his 
ambition  is  not  along  that  line  and  he  pre- 
fers to  give  his  time  and  attention  to  his 
business  and  professional  duties.  He  is  of 
a  very  social  and  genial  nature  and  has  an 
extensive  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances 
who  esteem  him  highly  for  his  genuine 
worth. 


JOSEPH  STUCKEY,  of  Danvers,  Illi- 
nois, an  ordained  minister  and  Bishop  of 
the  Mennonite  church,  has  been  a  resident  of 
Danvers  township  since  the  spring  of  1850. 
He  is  a  native  of  Alsace-Lorraine,  and  was 
born  in  1825,  at  which  time  that  country 
was  a  part  of  France.  His  parents,  Peter 
and  Elizabeth  Stuckey,  were  natives  of 
Switzerland.  Peter  Stuckey  removed  from 
his  native  province  to  France,  when  a  small 
child  with  his  parents,   who  both  shortly 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


227 


afterwards  departed  this  life.  He  was  then 
adopted  by  his  grandmother,  and  remained 
with  her  until  twelve  years  old,  when  he 
was  compelled  to  go  among  strangers  and 
earn  his  own  living.  At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen years  he  become  a  member  of  the 
Mennonite  church,  with  which  he  remained 
connected  until  his  death,  February  22, 
i860.  In  1824,  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Summers,  who  was  a  native  of  Alsace-Lor- 
raine, where  her  parents  had  fled  from 
Switzerland  on  account  of  religious  perse- 
cution. She  was  born  in  1802,  and  accom- 
panied her  husband  to  America  in  1830. 
They  first  located  in  Butler  county,  Ohio, 
where  they  resided  for  twenty  years,  and  in 
October,  1850,  came  to  McLean  county, 
and  located  in  Danvers  township,  where 
the  mother  died  in  1885.  They  were  the 
parents  of  si.x  children,  of  whom  five  lived 
to  maturity. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  when  he 
came  to  this  country,  landed  in  New  Or- 
leans, and  thence  went  with  his  parents  to 
Butler  county,  Ohio.  There  he  worked  on 
his  father's  farm,  and  received  a  limited  ed- 
ucation in  the  old  log  school  house,  He 
was  married  December  17,  1844,  to  Miss 
Barbara  Roth,  a  native  of  his  own  country, 
born  March  i,  1821,  and  who  came  to 
America  in  1842.  She  was  also  a  devoted 
member  of  the  Mennonite  church,  and  was 
a  brave  assistant  and  helpmeet  of  her  hus- 
band in  their  earlier  toils  and  struggles. 
She  departed  this  life  April  27,  1881. 
Their  two  children  were  Jacobina,  the  wife 
of  Joseph  S.  Augsrgur,  and  fourteen  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  them,  twelve  of 
whom  are  now  living;  one  of  the  children, 
Aaron,  is  a  minister  of  the  Mennonite 
church.  Christian  R.  married  Miss  Cath- 
erine Strupher,  and  they  are  the  parents  of 


three  children,  all  living.  Mr.  Stuckey  has 
fifteen  grand-children  and  seven  great- 
grand-children. 

For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Stuckey  chose 
Mrs.  Magdelina  (Roth)  Habecker,  to  whom 
he  was  married  December  11,  1881.  She 
is  also  connected  with  the  Mennonite 
church.  They  occupy  a  pleasant  and  com- 
fortable home  in  the  village  of  Danvers, 
and  besides  this  property,  our  subject  owns 
two  hundred  acres  of  land  in  the  township. 
He  has  devoted  more  than  a  third  of  a  cent- 
ury of  his  life  to  the  ministry,  and  in  pur- 
suance of  the  duties  of  his  calling  has 
traveled  over  the  states  of  Illinois,  Iowa, 
Missouri,  Indiana,  Michigan,  Ohio,  and 
Pennsylvania,  employed  in  the  establish- 
ment of  churches,  strengthening  the  weak, 
administering  the  sacrament,  and  attending 
to  all  the  duties  of  a  conscientious  min- 
ister. He  is  a  strong  temperance  man,  and 
in  politics  affiliated  with  the  Republican 
party. 

The  Mennonite  church  derived  its  name 
from  Menno  Simons,  who  was  born  in  Fries- 
land,  in  1496.  He  was  a  Roman  Catholic 
priest  and  a  man  of  studious  character  and 
great  learning.  Leaving  the  mother  church, 
he  devoted  himself  to  theological  study,  and 
published  his  book  of  doctrines  in  1539. 
After  the  taking  of  Muenster,  and  execution 
of  the  leaders  of  the  anti-Baptists,  Menno 
Simons  gave  himself  to  the  winning  of  the 
remnants  of  these  deluded  people  from  the 
lawless  fanaticism  into  which  they  had  fal- 
len, or  had  been  led,  and  with  older  and 
purer  elements  united  them  in  the  Neither- 
lands  and  North  Germany;  and  these  adher- 
ents to  his  view  were  known  henceforth 
as  Mennonites.  While  some  of  the  earlier 
views  of  the  anti-Baptists  were  retained  by 
this    society,    their   fanatical    violence    was 


228 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


completely  set  aside.  The  Mennonites  were 
carefully  organized  after  what  was  regarded 
as  the  primitive  Congregational  model. 
They  had  ministers  and  deacons,  and  their 
discipline  was  very  strict.  They  take  the 
New  Testament  as  their  only  rule  of  faith; 
that  the  term  Person  and  Trinity  ought  not 
to  be  applied  to  the  Son,  Father,  and  Holy 
Ghost;  that  there  is  no  original  sin;  that  in- 
fants ought  not  to  be  baptized.  They  main- 
tain that  Christians  should  not  bring  law- 
suits, demand  interest,  take  oaths,  or  serve 
as  soldiers.  Some  of  them  adopted  feet 
washing  in  preparation  of  the  Lord's  supper. 
They  dropped  all  the  views  conversive  of 
civil  rule,  which  has  been  held  by  the  anti- 
Baptists.  Their  ministry  is  unpaid,  and  for 
the  most  part  uneducated;  yet  of  late  there 
have  been  some  changes  in  this  respect. 

The  Galenas  established  a  seminary  in 
1735,  and  in  this  country  some  effort  has 
been  made  in  theological  education.  Their 
simple  lives,  thrifty  habits,  and  fidelity  to 
promises,  have  made  them  many  friends. 
They  obtained  toleration  in  the  Netherlands, 
then  in  Germany  and  in  England.  Diversity 
of  views  in  regard  to  strictness  in  excommu- 
nication, led  to  their  division  into  the  "  free 
or  strict,"  and  "coarse  or  mild."  The 
milder  party  divided  on  the  question  be- 
tween Calvinism  (the  Aposistos)  and  Armin- 
ianism  (the  Galenists).  In  1801  the  par- 
ties united,  the  Galenists  forming  the  major 
part.  In  Holland  there  are  one  hundred 
and  twenty  congregations  and  in  Germania 
about  fourteen  thousand  members.  In 
Prussia  they  were  relieved  from  the  obliga- 
tion to  bear  arms,  and  from  the  necessity 
of  taking  oaths,  official  or  judicial.  In  1867 
the  North  German  federal  constitution  im- 
posed on  them  the  obligation  of  military 
service.      In    1783,  nearly  a  century   before 


this,  many  emigrated  from  Prussia  to  Russia. 
In  1870  they  reached  the  number  of  forty 
thousand.  Here  they  enjoyed  many  privi- 
leges, among  which  was  freedom  from  mili- 
tary service.  They  became  rich  and  were 
generally  reckoned  among  the  best  subjects 
of  the  crown.  In  1871  they  lost  their 
privilege  from  military  service,  and  the 
alternative  was  given  between  conscription 
and  emigration,  and  they  were  allowed  ten 
years  in  which  to  decide.  They  chose  the 
latter,  and  in  1873  the  first  body  arrived  in 
New  York,  and  from  there  proceeded  to 
Kansas,  where  they  made  a  settlement. 
The  exodus  became  so  great  that  the  czar 
was  compelled  to  withdraw  his  order  to  stop 
the  movement.  Before  this  time,  however, 
many  had  emigrated  to  the  United  States, 
and  thrifty  societies  had  been  established. 

Upon  the  invitation  of  William  Penn,  in 
1683,  many  came  over  and  founded  a  set- 
tlement at  Germantown,  near  Philadelphia, 
and  in  1735  there  were  about  five  hundred 
families  settled  in  Lancaster  county.  There 
are  now  about  two  hundred  thousand  of  this 
denomination,  of  whom  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  are  in  the  United  States, 
and  twenty-five  thousand  in  Canada. 

The  Armist  or  Ornish  Mennonites  are  more 
rigid  in  discipline  and  dress,  proscribing 
even  buttons  as  carnal  vanities  and  luxuries. 
The  Reformed  Mennonites  arose  in  Lancas- 
ter, Pennsylvania,  in  181 1.  Their  aim  is 
to  restore  the  ancient  faith  and  practice  of 
their  church.  There  are  other  subdivisions 
of  later  origin.  There  are  about  three 
thousand  Mennonites  in  Illinois,  fifty-two 
ministers  and  nineteen  bishops.  The 
church  government  is  under  one  head,  com- 
posed of  the  bishops  of  all  the  churches. 
Bishops  and  ministers  are  taken  from  the 
ranks   of    the    church.     There    ^re    thre§ 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


229 


grades  of  officers — bishops,  ministers  and 
elders.  Ministers  are  ordained  by  bishops, 
and  bishops  are  ordained  by  two  or  more 
bishops.  The  system  of  government  is  con- 
gregational, and  all  the  affairs  are  settled 
by  the  congregation.  They  have  no  cate- 
chism, and  take  the  New  Testament  as  a 
guide.  The  old  Testament  they  regard 
more  of  a  history. 

The  first  building  erected  by  the  Men- 
nonites  in  this  section  for  religious  purposes, 
was  across  the  line,  in  Woodford  county,  in 
1853.  In  1872  they  erected  anew  building  in 
Danvers  township,  where  the  old  and  the  new 
congregations  worship.  The  membership  of 
this  society  numbers  about  four  hundred, 
and  is  presided  over  by  Rev.  Joseph  Stuckey. 


THOMAS  B.  KILGORE  is  a  prominent 
representative  of  the  farming  and 
stock-raising  interests  of  McLean  county, 
having  carried  on  operations  along  those 
lines  in  Colfax  for  almost  a  third  of  a  cen- 
tury, though  he  now  makes  his  home  in 
Bloomington.  He  is  a  man  whose  sound 
common  sense  and  vigorous,  able  manage- 
ment of  his  affairs  have  been  important  fac- 
tors in  leading  him  to  wealth,  and  with  his 
undoubted  integrity  of  character  have  given 
him  an  honorable  position  among  his  fellow 
men. 

Mr.  Kilgore  was  born  in  West  Jefferson, 
Ohio,  March  23,  1840,  and  is  a  worthy  rep- 
resentative of  an  honored  pioneer  family  of 
that  state.  His  grandfather,  Thomas  Kil- 
gore, was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  in  1789, 
and  in  1794  was  taken  by  his  parents  to 
Circleville,  Ohio.  The  following  year,  how- 
ever, they  removed  to  Madison  county,  that 
state,  where  the  great-grandfather  took  up 
quite    a    large    tract    of    land.     There    the 


grandfather  continued  to  make  his  home 
throughout  life,  and  was  one  of  the  most 
prominent  and  influential  men  of  his  com- 
munity. He  possessed  a  certain  amount  of 
rough  eloquence,  his  opinions  always  carried 
weight,  and  as  justice  of  the  peace,  he  was 
conveyancer  and  advisor  to  the  early  settlers 
of  his  locality.  He  died  in  1872,  honored 
and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  He 
married  Miss  Jane  Patterson,  daughter  of 
Robert  Patterson,  of  Madison  county,  Ohio, 
but  formerly  of  Virginia.  Both  were  active 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
to  which  the  family  also  belonged. 

John  Kilgore,  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  Plain  City,  Madison  county,  Ohio, 
October  30,  181 5,  and  on  reaching  man's 
estate  he  engaged  in  farming  and  stock  deal- 
ing there.  Prosperity  crowned  his  efforts  in 
life  and  he  became  the  owner  of  four  hun- 
dred acres  of  valuable  land  there  and  one 
thousand  acres  in  Illinois.  He  was  one  of 
the  leading  citizens  of  his  community  and 
was  called  upon  to  serve  in  a  number  of 
township  offices.  .  He  married  Miss  Malona 
Case  Beach,  a  daughter  of  Uriah  Beach, 
and  a  descendant  of  the  Noble  family  which 
was  founded  in  New  England  in  1632. 
They  made  their  home  in  Columbus,  Ohio, 
until  1893,  when  they  came  to  Blooming- 
ton  to  visit  their  children.  Here  the  fa- 
ther was  stricken  with  paralysis,  but  lin- 
gered for  over  a  year,  dying  January  19, 
1895.  The  mother,  who  has  been  a  life- 
long member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  a  true  and  earnest  Christian,  is 
still  living.  In  their  family  were  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  two  also  survive,  Thomas 
B.,  our  subject,  and  J.  M.  Sarah  A.,  the 
wife  of  Samuel  Stauffer,  died  in  1893,  and 
Albert  died  in  i860,  at  the  age  of  eleven 
years. 


230 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


During  his  boyhood  and  youth  Thomas 
B.  Kilgore  pursued  his  studies  in  the  com- 
mon schools  and  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity, and  when  his  education  was  com- 
pleted, he  returned  home,  where  he  remained 
until  after  the  opening  of  the  Rebellion.  In 
August,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  K, 
First  Ohio  Cavalry,  which  was  assigned  to 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  and  was  under 
the  command  of  Generals  Kilpatrick  and 
Sheridan.  He  participated  in  the  battles  of 
Louisville,  Nashville,  Chattanooga,  Corinth, 
Missionary  Ridge,  Chickamauga,  Kenesaw 
mountain  and  Atlanta.  Previous  to  its 
evacuation,  he  rode  around  Atlanta  and  was 
there  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service. 
At  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  he  had  a  horse 
shot  from  under  him,  but  fortunately  he 
was  never  wounded. 

Returning  to  his  home  in  Ohio,  Mr.  Kil- 
gore remained  with  his  father  until  March, 
1867,  when  he  came  to  McLean  county, 
Illinois,  and  located  at  what  is  now  Colfax, 
where  he  purchased  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  raw  land,  and  built  thereon 
a  small  house.  He  at  once  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of 
his  place  and  as  his  financial  resources  in- 
creased, he  extended  its  boundaries  until  he 
now  has  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of 
the  best  farming  land  to  be  found  in  the 
county,  it  being  richer  and  more  productive 
than  when  he  first  located  thereon.  He 
has  made  all  of  the  improvements  upon  the 
place,  including  the  erection  of  good  and 
substantial  buildings.  From  the  first  he 
has  been  interested  in  the  raising  and  feed- 
ing of  stock,  making  a  specialty  of  short  horn 
cattle.  He  is  also  largely  interested  in 
horses,  and  has  made  two  importations  of 
English  Shires.  Mr.  Kilgore  was  one  of  the 
incorporators  of  the    Corn  Belt    Bank,    of 


Bloomington,  and  has  been  a  director  since 
the  start.  He  continued  to  live  upon  his 
farm  until  the  fall  of  1888,  when  he  moved 
to  Bloomington  so  that  he  might  better  ed- 
ucate his  children. 

In  April,  1867,  Mr.  Kilgore  wedded  Miss 
Mary  E.  Batterton,  of  Lawndale  township, 
McLean  county.  Her  father,  Martin  Bat- 
terton, who  is  now  ninety-two  years  of  age, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  1807,  was  one 
of  the  first  settlers  of  this  county.  He  came 
here  from  Kentucky  in  1831,  and  in  1833 
entered  the  farm  on  which  he  still  resides. 
This  honored  pioneer  has  throughout  these 
many  years  been  one  of  the  most  prominent 
and  highly  respected  men  of  Lawndale 
township.  He  married  Miss  America  Tay- 
lor, who  came  here  from  Covington,  Ken- 
tucky, and  died  March  3,  1883,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-five  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kilgore 
have  four  children,  namely:  John  M.,  a 
farmer  of  Lexington,  McLean  county,  mar- 
ried Lucy  Kennedy,  and  has  two  children, 
Margine  and  Gaylord  K. ;  Lizzie  is  now  the 
wife  of  W.  H.  Welch,  of  Lexington;  Maude 
B.  graduated  from  Wesleyan  College  with 
the  degree  of  A.  B.,  and  is  now  assistant 
principal  of  the  high  school  of  Lexington ; 
T.  Beach  is  now  a  freshman  of  the  Wesleyan 
University.  The  wife  and  mother,  who  is  a 
most  estimable  lady,  holds  membership  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  Mr. 
Kilgore  attends  services  with  her  and  con- 
tributes to  its  support.  He  is  the  oldest 
member  now  living  of  Colfax  Lodge,  No. 
799,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  also  belongs  to  W.  T. 
Sherman  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Bloomington. 
He  is  a  pronounced  Republican  in  politics, 
and  has  filled  a  number  of  local  offices, 
serving  as  supervisor  eleven  years  and  school 
treasurer  sixteen  years.  In  all  the  relations 
of  life  he  has  been  found  true  to  every  trust 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


231 


reposed  in  him,  and  he  receives  and  merits 
the  high  regard  of  those  with  whom  he  has 
come  in  contact,  either  in  business  or  social 
affairs. 


ELLIS  DILLON,  deceased,  was  a  pio- 
neer of  pioneers,  having  come  to  the 
state  in  1825,  and  few  men  were  better 
known  in  McLean  and  adjoining  counties. 
In  fact  he  was  well  known  throughout  the 
entire  state,  as  well  as  in  some  of  the 
adjoining  states,  having  been  one  of  the 
largest  importers  of  horses  in  the  entire  coun- 
try. He  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
March  25,  18 16,  and  was  the  son  of  Jesse 
and  Hannah  (Pugh)  Dillon,  both  of  whom 
were  also  natives  of  Ohio.  In  his  native 
state  Jesse  Dillon  followed  farming,  contin- 
uing in  the  same  line  after  his  removal  to 
this  state.  With  his  family  he  came  to 
Illinois  in  1825  and  located  in  Tazewell 
county,  in  what  was  afterwards  Dillon 
township,  and  near  the  present  town  of 
Tremont.  His  family  consisted  of  eleven 
children — John,  Daniel,  William,  Aaron, 
PhcEbe,  Polly,  Ellis,  Katie,  Jesse,  James 
and  Lydia.  The  father  died  of  consump- 
tion many  years  ago.  He  was  the  son  of 
Daniel  and  Anna  Dillon,  and  was  born  in 
North  Carolina  in  1797,  and  was  also  one 
of  eleven  children. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  nine 
years  old  when  he  accompanied  his  parents 
to  Tazewell  county,  Illinois,  and  in  that 
county  he  grew  to  manhood  and  received  a 
limited  education  in  the  pioneer  schools. 
The  country  was  in  its  primitive  state  when 
the  family  settled  there,  and  for  several 
years  Indians  were  numerous  in  the  vicinity 
and  were  frequent  callers  at  the  cabins  of 
the  settlers,    much  to   the  disgust   of   the 


women.  Wild  game  was  very  abundant 
and  easy  to  entrap  or  kill.  But  there  was 
much  to  do  besides  entertaining  Indians  and 
killing  wild  game.  The  pioneer  must  work, 
he  must  cultivate  the  soil,  and  there  must 
be  no  idlers  among  them.  A  lad  of  nine 
years,  there  was  something  that  even  Ellis 
could  do,  and  he  was  compelled  to  do  his 
share  of  the  farm  labor.  The  schooling, 
however,  was  a  good  one  to  him,  and  gave 
him  the  rugged  constitution  that  carried 
him  through  more  than  foui;  score  years  of 
life. 

Mr.  Dillon  was  married  three  times. 
He  was  first  married  in  September,  1836, 
to  Miss  Mary  J.  Fisher,  by  whom  he  had 
one  daughter,  Malinda,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  eleven  years.  His  wife  dying  on  the 
19th  of  February,  1840,  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Hudson,  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  two  children,  both  of  whom  died 
in  infancy.  The  second  wife  dying  on  the 
9th  of  February,  1845,  he  married  Miss 
Martha  Fisher,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife. 
She  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  July 
10,  1827,  and  is  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Amy  (Bennett)  Fisher,  who  were  both  na- 
tives of  the  same  state.  His  life  calling 
was  that  of  a  farmer,  which  he  followed  in 
Ohio  as  well  as  in  this  state.  In  1828,  with 
his  wife  and  six  children,  he  left  Ohio  for 
the  prairie  state,  and  on  his  arrival  located 
in  Tazewell  county,  where  he  entered  a  tract 
of  land  and  commenced  its  cultivation.  He 
died  October  22,  1844,  while  his  wife  sur- 
vived him  many  years,  dying  on  the  nth  of 
September,  1861.  They  were  the  parents 
of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  Mrs.  Dillon 
was  sixth  in  order  of  birth.  The  others 
were  Mary  J.,  Susanna,  Elizabeth,  Jesse, 
Isaac,  Emily,  Louisa,  Stephen,  Lydia,  El- 
vira, James  L.  and  Amanda.     To  our  sub- 


232 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ject  and  wife  were  born  five  children,  the 
first  born  dying  in  infancy.  Adolphus  now 
resides  in  Normal,  where  for  a  number  of 
years  he  engaged  in  the  business  of  import- 
ing and  dealing  in  horses.  He  is  also  a 
large  landowner  in  McLean  county,  and  is 
now  farming  and  stock  raising.  He  mar- 
ried Paulina  Britt,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren: Harley  D.,  Mertie  M.  and  Bessie. 
Alpheus  died  at  the  age  of  two  years.  Sarah 
married  Reuben  Bright  and  they  became 
the  parents  of  three  children,  of  whom  two 
died  in  infancy.  The  living  one  is  Bernice 
A.,  who  makes  her  home  with  Mrs.  Dil- 
lon, her  grandmother.  Mrs.  Bright  died 
April  28,  1 88 1.  Emma  F.  married  Lyon 
Karr,  and  they  have  one  child,  Helen. 
They  make  their  home  in  Eureka,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Dillon  commenced  to  take  a  lively 
interest  in  stock  raising  at  a  very  early  day, 
and  always  took  a  great  pride  in  the  busi- 
ness, especially  in  raising  fine  horses.  In 
1865  he  moved  with  his  family  to  the  city 
of  Bloomington,  where  they  lived  three 
years  and  where  he  was  employed  in  the 
stock  business.  In  1868  he  moved  to  Nor- 
mal and  continued  in  the  same  line  for  a 
number  of  years.  In  1870  he  made  his 
first  trip  to  Europe,  where  he  made  a  large 
purchase  of  French  draft  horses,  which  he 
brought  with  him  to  this  country.  In  the 
stock  business  he  was  quite  successful,  con- 
tinuing in  the  same  until  his  death.  He 
made  importations  of  horses  in  each  of  the 
following  years:  1 870-2-4-5-6-7-9,  1880- 
1-2.  In  some  of  these  years  he  made  two 
importations.  His  importations  were  soon 
known  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  land,  and  sales  were  made  by  him  to 
persons  in  various  states  of  the  Union.  In 
addition  to  his  stock  business,  he  engaged  to 
some  extent  in  farming.      He  was  the  owner 


of  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  part  of  which 
was  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city 
of  Normal  and  the  remainder  adjoining. 
This  land  is  now  occupied  by  his  widow,  a 
portion  of  it  being  rented  by  the  Phoeni.x 
Nursery  Company  and  the  remainder  kept 
in  pasture. 

The  early  life  of  Mr.  Dillon  was  filled 
with  the  thrilling  incidents  common  to  the 
pioneers  of  this  locality,  and  his  recollec- 
tions of  early  times  were  quite  clear  almost 
to  the  end  of  his  life.  His  stories  of  the 
Indians,  of  the  deep  snow,  and  the  great 
sudden  change  in  the  weather,  were  most 
interesting  to  the  younger  generation.  He 
was  also  a  great  friend  of  the  colored  man, 
and  many  interesting  accounts  are  told  of 
how  he  assisted  many  runaway  slaves  to 
their  freedom  during  slavery  days.  When 
but  a  boy  he  said  that  if  he  lived  to  see  the 
darkies  free  he  would  then  think  that  he  had 
lived  long  enough.  He  was  instrumental 
in  organizing  the  Colored  Christian  Church 
in  Normal,  and  ever  stood  ready  to  lend  a 
helping  hand  in  its  welfare.  In  his  death 
the  colored  people  of  Normal  lost  their  best 
friend. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Dillon,  as  might  be  in- 
ferred, was  a  strong  Republican,  and  espe- 
cially was  he  with  his  party  on  the  great 
issue  that  called  it  into  existence.  For  five 
terms  he  served  as  supervisor  of  his  town- 
ship and  made  an  efficient  member  of  the 
board.  As  school  director  he  served  three 
terms,  and  in  the  public  schools  he  was 
always  greatly  interested. 

Mr.  Dillon  was  called  to  his  reward  on 
the  13th  of  April,  1899,  when  a  little  more 
than  eighty-three  years  old.  In  1838  he 
united  with  the  Christian  church,  and  for 
sixty-one  years  was  an  earnest  and  constant 
worker  in  that  body.      He  had  an   abiding 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


233 


faith  in  tiie  religion  of  Christ  and  was  an 
earnest  advocate  of  the  union  of  all  God's 
people.  Mrs.  Dillon,  who  survives  him,  is 
also  a  devoted  member  of  that  church. 


CHARLES  H.  LAKE,  a  well-known  and 
highly  respected  citizen  of  Blooming- 
ton,  is  the  possessor  of  a  handsome  prop- 
erty which  now  enables  him  to  spend  his 
declining  years  in  the  pleasureable  enjoy- 
ment of  his  accumulations.  The  record  of 
his  early  life  is  that  of  an  active,  enterpris- 
ing, methodical  and  sagacious  business  man, 
who  bent  his  energies  to  the  honorable  ac- 
quirement of  a  comfortable  competence  for 
himself  and  family. 

Mr.  Lake  was  born  in  Pleasant  Valley, 
Fulton  county.  New  York,  January  31, 
1830,  and  comes  of  good  old  Revolutionary 
stock,  his  great-grandfather,  John  Lake, 
having  aided  the  colonies  in  their  successful 
struggle  for  independence.  He  was  a  resi- 
dent of  the  Empire  state  and  lived  to  a 
ripe  old  age.  Crapo  Lake,  the  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  took  up  arms  against  the 
mother  country  in  the  war  of  18 12,  and  aided 
in  the  defense  of  the  country  which  his  father 
had  helped  to  free.  He  was  probably  born 
in  Dutchess  county,  New  York,  where  he 
followed  farming  throughout  his  active  busi- 
ness life  and  where  his  death  occurred. 

Joshua  Lake,  our  subject's  father,  was 

born  in  Pleasant  Valley,  Dutchess  county. 

New  York,  in  1807,  and  there  during  early 

life  he  became  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 

manufacture  of  woolen  goods.      Prior  to  his 

marriage   he    removed    to    Fulton    county, 

New  York,  and  in  partnership  with  Eleazer 

Wells,  he  built  and  operated  a  woolen  mill 

at  Johnstown,  then  the  county  seat.      It  was 

considered  a  large  mill  at  that  time  and  con- 
12 


tained  all  the  various  departments,  and  was 
one  of  the  two  factories  at  that  place. 
Closing  up  his  business  there  in  1843,  Mr. 
Lake  removed  to  the  town  of  Oakfield, 
Genesee  county,  which  was  then  considered 
quite  far  west  and  there  engaged  in  farming, 
making  a  speciality  of  raising  wheat.  His 
next  home  was  in  Lockport,  Niagara 
county,  the  same  state,  where  he  purchased 
land  and  followed  agricultural  pursuits  until 
death,  in  1875.  He  was  married  near 
Johnstown  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Soule,  who 
was  born  and  reared  in  Pleasant  Valley, 
and  was  a  daughter  of  Peleg  Soule,  a  native 
of  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  and  an  early 
settler  of  Fulton  county.  New  York.  To 
them  were  born  six  children,  who  reached 
years  of  maturity,  and  of  these  our  subject 
is  the  eldest  and  the  only  one  living  west  of 
Buffalo,  New  York.  The  mother  died  in 
1873.  Both  parents  were  members  of  the 
Universalist  church  and  were  held  in  high 
respect  by  all  who  knew  them. 

Charles  H.  Lake  accompanied  his  par- 
ents on  their  various  removals,  and  acquired 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  Johnstown, 
New  York,  and  of  Genesee  county  and 
Lockport.  Until  eighteen  years  of  age  he 
remained  upon  the  home  farm,  assisting  his 
father  in  the  arduous  task  of  clearing  away 
the  timber  and  breaking  the  land.  He  then 
served  a  three  years'  apprenticeship  to  the 
carpenters  and  joiner's  trade,  and  later  en- 
gaged in  contracting  and  building  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Simmons  &  Lake,  erect- 
ing many  of  the  stores,  churches  and  pri- 
vate residences  in  Youngstown,  besides 
many  buildings  in  the  surrounding  country. 
He  did  an  extensive  business  there  until 
1857,  when  he  came  to  Bloomington.  He 
first  purchased  land  in  Old  Town  township, 
but  three  years  later  removed  to  Lexington 


234 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


township  and  from  there  to  Shirley,  where 
he  turned  his  attention  to  general  farming 
and  the  raising  of  horses.  In  1S7S,  he  went 
to  Funks  Grove,  where  he  bought  a  large 
farm  and  gave  more  attention  to  the  breed- 
ing of  English  draft,  Norman  and  other 
heavy  horses,  in  which  business  he  met  with 
most  excellent  success.  When  he  took 
possession  of  the  farm  at  Funks  Grove  it 
was  run  down,  but  he  erected  thereon  a 
comfortable  and  commodious  residence  and 
substantial  outbuildings,  making  it  one  of 
the  most  attractive  and  desirable  country 
homes  the  in  county.  He  still  owns  that 
farm,  but  in  December,  18S8,  he  removed 
to  Bloomington,  where  he  owns  a  beautiful 
home  on  McLean  street,  near  Franklin 
Park — one  of  the  most  fashionable  quarters 
of  the  city.  After  coming  to  Bloomington 
he  became  interested  in  fast  horses,  and 
was  half  owner  of  Prince  Hal,  a  half  brother 
of  Hal  Pointer.  This  horse,  considered  one 
of  the  finest  in  his  day,  was  started  at  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana,  in  1891,  and  run  his  fourth 
race  in  2:16.  After  owning  him  for  two 
years,  Mr.  Lake  sold  the  horse  for  eight 
thousand  dollars,  the  most  ever  paid  for  a 
horse  in  Bloomington.  In  this  venture  our 
subject  met  with  success.  Owing  to  ill 
health  he  is  now  living  retired,  having  laid 
aside  all  business  cares. 

On  the  27th  of  August,  1857,  Mr.  Lake 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ruby  Dye, 
of  Porter,  Niagara  county,  New  York,  a 
daughter  of  Kenyon  Dye.  She  departed 
this  life  in  1883,  leaving  three  children, 
namely:  Frank  L. ,  who  is  engaged  in  fann- 
ing west  of  McLean,  married  Anna  Boland, 
and  has  four  children,  Herbert,  Bernice, 
Ivan  and  Ruby;  Charles  H.,  Jr.,  married 
Addie  Crane  and  now  operates  the  old 
homestead;  and  Cora  is  the  wife  of  Charles 


Boland,  of  Wapella,  Illinois,  and  has  two 
children.  La  Verne  and  Neoline.  Mr. 
Lake  was  again  married  December  26, 
1 883, to  Nina  Webb,  of  Twinn  Grove.  She 
is  an  earnest  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  presides  with  gracious  dignity 
over  their  beautiful  home.  In  political  senti- 
ment, Mr.  Lake  is  a  Republican,  and  he  has 
filled  many  township  offices  while  living 
on  his  farm,  including  that  of  supervisor. 
At  one  time  he  was  an  active  member  of 
the  Grange  and  now  holds  membership  in 
McLean  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.  The  success 
that  he  has  achieved  in  life  is  entirely  due  to 
his  own  well  directed  efforts  and  he  has 
made  for  himself  an  honorable  record. 


GEORGE  W.  BOWMAN,  alderman  of 
the  fourth  ward  of  Bloomington,  is  a 
well-known  contractor  and  builder,  of  whose 
skill  and  ability  many  notable  examples  are 
to  be  seen  throughout  the  city.  Thoroughly 
reliable  in  all  things,  the  quality  of  his 
work  is  a  convincing  test  of  his  own  per- 
sonal worth,  and  the  same  admirable  trait 
is  shown  in  his  conscientious  discharge  of 
the  duties  of  different  positions  of  trust  and 
responsibility  to  which  he  has  been  chosen 
in  business  and  political  life. 

Mr.  Bowman  was  born  in  Germantown, 
Stokes  county,  North  Carolina,  June  19, 
1 847,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Fowler) 
Bowman.  The  father  was  born  in  Guilford 
county,  that  state,  in  1810.  The  grandfa- 
ther, Henry  Bowman,  was  of  Pennsylvania- 
Dutch  stock  and  was  one  of  a  colony  who 
settled  in  Germantown,  North  Carolina,  at 
an  early  day.  The  father  was  reared  and 
educated  in  his  native  state.  When  quite 
young  he  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,    and   at   the   age   of  seventeen  was 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


235 


licensed  a  minister.  For  half  a  century  he 
was  connected  with  the  North  Carolina 
conference,  during  which  time  he  had  charge 
of  churches  in  Winston,  Salem  and  Surrey. 
He  was  a  strong  Union  man  during  the  civil 
war  and  on  account  of  his  belief  his  life 
was  often  threatened,  but  being  a  minister 
he  was  not  forced  from  the  community.  He 
is  still  living,  an  honored  and  respected  old 
gentleman,  and  finds  a  pleasant  home  with 
our  subject.  The  wife  and  mother  departed 
this  life  in  1886,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five 
years.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Elijah  and 
Frances  Fowler,  who  were  of  English  birth. 
They,  too,  were  residents  of  Stokes  county. 
North  Carolina,  until  1852,  when  they  came 
to  McLean  county,  Illinois,  where  Mr. 
Fowler  engaged  in  farming  in  Dry  Grove 
township  until  his  death.  Our  subject  is 
one  of  a  family  of  eleven  children,  four  sons 
and  seven  daughters,  who  in  order  of  birth 
are  as  follows:  Mrs.  Hester  Ann  Rumbley, 
of  St.  Augustine,  Florida;  Mrs.  Martha 
George,  of  Winston,  North  Carolina;  Mag- 
gie; Susan,  deceased;  Joseph;  David,  de- 
ceased; George  W. ;  Elizabeth,  deceased; 
Peter;  Mrs.  Rebecca  Wrigley;  and  Laura, 
deceased. 

George  W.  Bowman  attended  the  sub- 
scription schools  of  Germantown,  but  as  the 
schools  were  poor  his  education  was  limited. 
When  the  civil  war  broke  out  his  sympa- 
thies were  with  the  north,  but  soon  after  he 
attained  his  sixteenth  year  he  was  forced 
into  the  Confederate  army  under  an  act  of 
the  Confederate  congress,  conscripting  all 
able-bodied  men  from  the  age  of  sixteen  to 
sixty.  He  enlisted  in  General  Breckenridge's 
First  Tennessee  Battery  of  Light  Artillery, 
and  joined  the  regiment  at  Lead  Mines  on 
New  river,  in  southwestern  Virginia,  in  July, 
1864.      He  joined  this  battery  so  that  he 


might  get  farther  north  and  west,  hoping  to 
make  his  way  through  the  lines,  as  prior  to 
his  conscription  he  had  wished  to  get  north 
and  join  the  Union  army.  He  was  in  active 
service  until  February,  1865,  participating 
in  the  engagements  around  Wythville,  Ma- 
rion and  Washington  Salt  Works,  Virginia, 
and  Bristol,  Greenville,  Knoxville  and  Jones- 
ville,  Tennessee.  During  all  this  time  he 
faithfully  obeyed  the  Confederate  orders, 
but  was  firm  in  his  purpose  to  join  the  Un- 
ion army.  The  first  opportunity  that  he 
deemed  safe  which  presented  itself  was  when 
he  was  detached  from  the  battery  and  de- 
tailed to  take  some  horses  back  to  North 
Carolina,  near  the  Tennessee  line.  After 
delivering  them  he  made  his  way  over  the 
mountains  into  East  Tennessee,  and  at 
Jonesboro  found  the  stars  and  stripes  of  the 
Federal  army.  He  went  into  camp  under  a 
white  flag  and  was  closely  scrutinized  and 
examined  to  see  that  he  was  not  a  spy,  but 
being  a  mere  boy  he  was  finally  released. 
Stopping  for  a  time  in  Greenville,  Knox- 
ville, Chattanooga  and  Nashville,  he  worked 
at  anything  he  could  find  to  do  and  finally 
made  his  way  north,  arriving  in  Blooming- 
ton,  April,  1865,  clothed  in  his  rebel  uni- 
form. His  grandfather  had  died,  but  his 
mother's  people  gave  him  shelter.  It  was 
July  before  he  was  able  to  let  his  parents 
know  where  he  was,  and  in  the  meantime 
they  supposed  he  had  been  killed  by  the 
bushwhackers  in  the  mountains  of  Ten- 
nessee. 

During  the  first  summer  and  fall  spent 
in  McLean  county,  Mr.  Bowman  worked  on 
a  farm,  and  in  the  winter  attended  school. 
In  1866  he  commenced  learning  the  mason's 
trade,  at  which  he  served  a  three-years' 
apprenticeship,  and  then  worked  as  a 
journeymen,  his  employer  soon  making  him 


236 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


foreman.  On  the  third  of  July,  1869,  he 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  Davis,  of  Blooming 
Grove,  a  daughter  of  John  M.  Davis,  a  well- 
known  farmer  of  that  place.  They  made 
their  home  in  Bloomington  until  1872,  Mr. 
Bowman  being  engaged  in  business  as  a  con- 
tractor in  masonry.  Having  accumulated 
some  money,  he  decided  to  go  west,  and 
with  his  wife  and  two  children,  Grant  and 
Edward,  he  made  his  way  to  Nebraska, 
where  he  located.  During  his  residence 
there  his  older  son  died,  and  as  his  wife 
was  in  ill  health  their  physician  advised 
him  to  bring  her  back  to  her  native  state 
that  she  might  recover  her  usual  strength. 
After  disposing  of  his  effects  he  returned  to 
Bloomington,  where  he  arrived  in  February, 
1874,  with  only  twenty  dollars  with  which 
to  start  in  life  anew.  He  resumed  business 
in  the  city,  but  for  a  time  lived  just  south 
of  here  on  a  small  tract  of  land  which  he 
purchased.  He  has  since  done  a  success- 
ful business  as  a  contractor  and  builder, 
erecting  many  of  the  best  business  blocks  in 
the  city,  and  has  given  employment  to 
many  men.  He  has  also  done  considerable 
contracting  elsewhere  in  the  county.  He 
He  has  a  pleassnt  home  on  East  Clay  street, 
where  he  has  lived  for  the  past  twelve  years 
and  also  owns  other  property  in  Blooming- 
ton. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bowman  have  five  chil- 
dren living,  namely:  Edward,  who  mar- 
ried Lillie  George,  and  is  engaged  in  busi- 
ness in  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Claude,  a  resi- 
dent of  Bloomington,  who  married  Edna 
Rhoades  and  has  one  child,  Glenn;  Maude, 
wife  of  Warren  S.  Bryant,  an  employe  of 
the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad,  who  resides 
in  Bloomington,  and  by  whom  she  has  two 
children,  Grace  and  Irene;  and  Grace  and 
Lee,  both  at  home.     The  parents  both  hold 


membership  in  the  First  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church,  and  socially  Mr.  Bowman  is  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Globe.  He 
was  an  active  member  and  president  for  two 
years  of  the  Builders'  &  Traders'  Exchange, 
and  has  always  been  prominently  identified 
with  the^Republican  party.  While  a  resi- 
dent of  Blooming  Grove  he  served  as  school 
director  for  nine  years,  in  which  position  he 
rendered  his  fellow  citizens  most  efficient 
service,  being  greatly  missed  as  a  school 
worker  when  he  left  the  district.  After 
coming  to  Bloomington,  he  took  no  active 
part  in  public  affairs  until  the  spring  of 
1898,  when  he  was  elected  alderman  of  the 
fourth  ward  by  a  large  majority,  over  Mr. 
Martin,  a  strong  opponent  and  an  ex-mem- 
ber of  the  council.  During  his  first  year  as 
a  member  of  the  board,  he  was  on  the  fire 
department,  public  buildings  and  grounds, 
and  sidewalk  committees.  His  public  and 
private  life  are  above  reproach,  for  his 
career  has  ever  been  one  characterized  by 
the  utmost  fidelity  to  duty. 


DR.  OWEN  T.  HANSON,  D.  D.  S., 
of  Lexington,  Illinois,  has  the  repu- 
tation of  being  a  dentist  of  rare  skill  and 
ability,  one  who  is  an  honor  to  the  profes- 
sion. He  is  a  native  of  McLean  county, 
born  on  section  24,  Gridley  township,  the 
homestead  of  his  parents,  February  26, 
1 86 1,  is  a  son  of  William  and  Frances  E. 
(Walston)  Hanson,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  the 
father  born  in  1825.  His  early  life  was 
spent  much  as  that  of  other  farmer  boys, 
attending  school  during  the  winter  months, 
and  assisting  in  farm  work  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  year.  This  was  continued 
until   he  was   nineteen  years  old,  when  he 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


237 


decided  to  secure  a  better  education  than 
that  afforded  in  the  common  schools,  and  to 
that  end  entered  Normal  University,  Nor- 
mal, Illinois,  where  he  spent  two  years  in 
study.  For  the  next  four  years  he  was 
engaged  in  teaching  in  the  public  schools  of 
McLean,  Woodford  and  Livingston  coun- 
ties, his  last  term  being  with  the  Panola 
school. 

While  engaged  in  teaching,  Mr.  Hanson 
made  up  his  mind  that  he  would  engage  in 
dentistry  as  a  profession,  and  to  that  end 
spent  abuut  eighteen  months  with  Dr.  J.  A. 
Schofield,  of  El  Paso.  In  1885  he  entered 
the  Ohio  Dental  College,  of  Cincinnati,  and 
taking  the  regular  course,  in  1887  he  was 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  D.  D.  S.  He 
then  came  to  Lexington,  and  with  a  debt 
of  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  hanging 
over  him,  which  was  contracted  in  securing  his 
professional  education,  he  purchased  the 
office  and  good  will  of  Dr.  C.  T.  Gray,  and 
at  once  commenced  active  practice,  and  has 
since  given  it  his  entire  time  and  attention. 
He  has  always  tried  to  keep  up  with  all  the 
latest  improvements  in  his  profession,  and 
with  this  end  in  view  took  a  post  graduate 
course,  in  1897,  in  the  Chicago  Dental  Col- 
lege, now  recognized  as  one  of  the  best  in- 
stitutions of  the  kind  in  the  country,  and 
which  is  well  supplied  with  every  appliance 
known  to  the  profession,  and  its  faculty  be- 
ing composed  of  the  most  skillful  and  well 
read  men. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1891,  Dr.  Hanson 
was  united  in  marriage,  in  his  own  home  in 
Lexington,  to  Miss  Edith  Kneeland,  who 
was  born  in  New  York  city,  and  daughter 
of  E.  H.  Kneeland,  a  highly  educated  man, 
who  during  his  residence  in  the  east  gave 
his  life  to  the  cause  of  education,  teaching 
in  the  gcbools   of  New  York  city.     He  was 


widely  known  in  the  electrical  field  as  a  lec- 
turer on  electricity.  He  was  also  a  frequent 
and  valuable  contributor  to  such  well  known 
journals  as  the  Scientific  American,  as  well 
as  other  periodicals  devoted  to  scientific 
subjects.  A  sister  of  his,  now  a  resident  of 
Washington,  D.  C. ,  is  widely  known  in  the 
lecture  field,  especially  in  temperance  work. 
On  account  of  ill  health  Mr.  Kneeland  left 
the  city,  came  west,  and  located  in  Dwight, 
Illinois,  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits. At  that  time  Mrs.  Hanson  was  but 
seven  years  of  age.  She  is  a  highly  edu- 
cated woman,  having  graduated  from  the 
high  school  at  Dwight,  and  finishing  her 
education  in  Wesleyan  University,  at 
Bloomington.  For  three  years  prior  to  her 
marriage  she  was  assistant  principal  of  the 
Lexington  high  school.  Two  children  have 
come  to  bless  the  union  of  the  Doctor  and 
his  wife,  Frances  and  Cecil. 

In  politics.  Dr.  Hanson  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican, but  he  is  not  a  politician  in  the 
ordinary  sense  of  the  term,  neither  is  he 
an  office  seeker.  He  takes  an  active  inter- 
est in  everything  beneficial  to  his  adopted 
city  and  county,  especially  is  he  interested 
in  the  cause  of  education.  For  three  suc- 
cessive terms  of  three  years  he  has  served 
on  the  school  board,-  and  for  five  years  he 
acted  as  secretary  of  the  board.  He  was 
one  of  the  building  committee  during  the 
erection  of  the  new  school  house,  which  is 
a  credit  to  the  city  and  county,  and  for 
three  years  has  been  chairman  of  the 
grounds  and  building  committee.  He  has 
also  taken  an  active  part  in  the  organiza- 
tion and  maintenance  of  the  Lexington 
Public  Library,  and  is  one  of  the  directors 
of  the  association. 

Fraternally,  Dr.  Hanson  is  a  member  of 
Ideal    Lodge,  No.  338,  K.    P.,  and  of  Mc- 


238 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Lean  Lodge,  No.    206,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  in 

the  latter  organization  is  now  past  grand. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America,  holding  membership  with 
the  camp  at  Lexington.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  has 
been  quite  active  in  church  work.  He 
served  for  several  years  as  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  school,  and  for  several  years 
has  been  leader  of  the  choir  and  chorister 
in  the  Sunday  school.  Mrs.  Hanson  is  also 
a  member  of  the  same  church  and  like  her 
husband  has  been  active  in  all  church  work. 
In  1893  the  Doctor  erected  his  present 
tasty  and  comfortable  residence,  and  his 
home  is  the  center  of  social  life  and  activity 
in  Lexington,  both  he  and  his  wife  being 
good  entertainers.  They  are  held  in  the 
highest  esteem  by  all,  and  exert  an  in- 
fluence for  good  in  the  community.  His 
professional  skill  is  acknowledged  by  all, 
and  he  has  been  fairly  successful  in  a  finan- 
cial way.  In  addition  to  his  home  in 
the  city,  he  has  a  farm  of  sixty  acres  in 
Gridley  township,   which  is  rented. 


ALFRED  J.  WELCH,  a  well-known 
farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  Downs  town- 
ship, owns  and  operates  a  fine  farm  of 
three  hundred  acres  on  section  18.  He  is 
a  native  of  McLean  county,  and  was  born 
in  Downs  township,  July  5,  1855,  and 
grew  to  manhood  on  the  home  farm.  His 
education,  began  in  the  district  schools  of 
Downs  township,  was  completed  in  Wes- 
leyan  University,  which  he  attended  for 
several  terms.  After  leaving  the  institu- 
tion, at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years,  he 
located  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides, 
and  which  then  contained  two  hundred  and 
twenty-six  acres,  and   at  once   commenced 


life  for  himself.  Soon  after  locating  on 
the  place,  he  erected  a  large  and  substan- 
tial farm  residence,  and  made  various  im- 
provements on  the  farm  of  a  most  substan- 
tial character.  His  farm  is  well  tilled,  and  is 
always  kept  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
His  farming  is  of  a  general  character,  in- 
cluding stock  raising,  giving  special  atten- 
tion to  the  latter  line  of  his  business.  He 
annually  feeds  and  prepares  for  the  market 
about  three  car  loads  of  stock,  for  which 
he  receives  the  highest  price. 

On  the  1 8th  of  November,  1879,  Mr. 
Welch  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Belle  Fulton,  a  native  of  the  county,  and 
who  was  before  her  marriage  a  teacher  by 
profession.  She  is  a  sister  of  Albert  Ful- 
ton, whose  sketch  appears  on  another  page 
of  this  work.  By  this  union  there  are  five 
children — Nettie  B.,  Archie  Dean,  Lois, 
Freddie  and  Dorris — all  of  whom  are 
students  in  the  home  school,  save  the 
youngest. 

The  first  presidential  vote  cast  by  Mr. 
Welch  was  for  Rutherford  B.  Hayes  in  1876, 
since  which  time  he  has  voted  for  every 
presidential  nominee  of  the  party.  He  is 
a  strong  believer  in  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party,  and  supports  its  ticket 
in  national,  state,  county  and  township 
elections.  For  sixteen  years  he  has  been 
a  member  of  the  school  board,  a  part  of 
which  times  he  has  served  as  its  president. 
He  believes  in  good  schools  and  in  the  best 
that  can  be  had,  always  regarding  it  as 
poor  economy  in  the  hiring  of  an  inefficient 
teacher  in  order  to  save  a  few  dollars  for 
the  time  being,  thus  requiring  the  student's 
longer  attendance  in  the  school  room.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren  church, 
while  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal.     They  both  take  an  active 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


239 


interest  in  the  cause  of  the  Master,  and 
endeavor  to  do  their  duty  faithfully  for  the 
extension  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  on 
earth.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  both 
of  the  subordinate  lodge  and  encampment, 
his  membership  being  with  the  order  in 
Bloomington.  A  well  known  citizen  of  the 
township,  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  its  best 
.farmers,  and  socially  he  and  his  family  are 
greatly  esteemed.  In  the  twenty-one  years 
in  which  he  has  been  actively  engaged  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  farm  he  has  toiled 
hard,  and  success  has  in  a  measure  crowned 
all  his  efforts. 


FREDERICK  T.  ASHTON,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  musicians  of  Blooming- 
ton,  was  born  in  that  city,  July  15,  1871, 
a  son  of  William  H.  and  Eliza  (Pottinger) 
Ashton.  The  father  was  born  in  London, 
in  1 8 19,  and  was  reared  and  educated  there 
as  a  musician  and  choir  master,  playing  in 
Covent  Garden  and  other  London  theatres. 
There  he  was  married,  and,  coming  to  the 
United  States  in  18—,  he  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Bloomington  for  a  third  of  a  cent- 
ury. Here  he  has  engaged  in  the  shoe  busi- 
and  at  the  present  time  is  also  a  dealer  in 
men's  furnishing  goods.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  was  in  charge  of  choirs  of  different 
churches  here.  His  wife  holds  member- 
ship in  the  Congregational  church.  In 
their  family  are  eight  children,  four  sons 
and  four  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  is 
the  youngest. 

Frederick  T.  Ashton  acquired  his  liter- 
ary education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Bloomington,  and  his  musical  edcuation 
was  begun  as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  hold 
gp    instryment.      When    he   was  fourteen 


years  of  age  a  company  came  to  the  city 
wanting  an  orchestra,  and  he  with  three 
others  were  chosen.  He  traveled  with  the 
company  for  four  months  and  had  charge  of 
the  little  orchestra,  but  as  he  was  not  given 
Jiis  salary  his  father  brought  him  home. 
He  next  played  first  violin  in  Schroder's 
Opera  House  here,  and  during  the  two 
years  he  was  thus  employed  he  gained  much 
practical  experience  and  also  kept  up  his 
studies  at  the  same  time.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  in  the 
large  music  house  of  Lyon  &  Healy  was 
employed  in  the  stringing  room,  testing  and 
stringing  all  new  instruments.  While  there 
he  studied  with  Professor  Singer  and  also  a 
noted  Swedish  violinist. 

Mr.  Durkee,  superintendent  of  Lyon  & 
Healy's  factory,  having  become  interested 
in  oar  subject,  arranged  for  a  course,  and 
he  made  great  progress  during  the  two 
years  spent  in  that  establishment.  Resign- 
ing his  position  there,  he  traveled  with  a 
theatrical  company  all  over  the  south,  and 
on  his  return  to  Bloomington  at  the  end  of 
that  time  he  took  charge  of  the  orchestra 
in  the  Durley  theatre,  and  also  engaged  in 
teaching  music.  Later  he  spent  one  season 
with  a  thoroughly  first  class  opera  company 
which  put  on  the  Mascot  and  other  popular 
operas  and  played  in  only  the  best  cities. 
At  the  age  of  twenty  he  was  leader  of  an 
orchestra  in  Cincinnati,  where  he  was 
obliged  to  correct  men  much  older  in  order 
to  keep  the  music  up  to  the  required  stand- 
ard. An  old  German  whom  he  thus  cor- 
rected would  not  speak  to  him  for  a  week, 
but  finally  came  to  him  and  offered  him 
three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  his 
violin.  This  instrument  he  values  at  five 
hundred  dollars,  but  it  is  not  for  sale.  The 
opera  company  with  which  Mr,  Ashton  was 


240 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


connected  was  in  Albany,  New  York,  at  the 
close  of  the  season,  and  from  there  he 
went  to  New  York  City,  where  for  seven 
weeks  he  was  ill  in  Bellevue  hospital  before 
he  was  able  to  look  for  an  engagement,  his 
mother  believing  him  studying  harmony 
during  this  time.  As  he  had  exhausted  his 
money,  he  was  obliged  to  leave  the  hospital, 
as  he  would  not  submit  to  the  treatment  he 
received  there  as  a  charity  patient,  and 
finally  found  an  old  friend  who  cared  for 
him  until  the  arrival  of  his  brother,  who 
remained  with  him  until  his  recovery.  Re- 
turning to  Bloomington,  in  1 891,  he  opened 
a  school  of  music,  giving  lessons  on  the 
violin,  mandolin,  guitar  and  banjo,  and  as 
he  was  then  the  only  teacher  of  the  kind  in 
the  city,  and  there  was  no  competition,  he 
met  with  success  from  the  start.  His 
school  was  located  at  No.  409  North  Main 
street.  During  the  '80s  he  had  also  en- 
gaged in  teaching  and  had  established  the 
old  mandolin  orchestra,  which  is  still  in 
existence,  and  of  which  he  again  has 
charge.  In  1892  he  became  the  leader  of 
the  orchestra  of  the  Grand  Opera  House, 
but  at  the  end  of  a  season  he  was  taken 
ill  and  the  '  doctor  advised  a  change. 
The  following  season  was  spent  on  the 
road  with  the  Spooner  Comedy  Company, 
and  on  his  return  to  Bloomington  in 
1893  he  reopened  his  school  and  again  took 
charge  of  the  mandolin  orchestra,  both  of 
which  he  has  since  conducted.  His  services 
are  in  great  demand  for  weddings,  recep- 
tions and  all  high  class  work  of  which  he 
makes  a  specialty,  and  since  February, 
1897,  he  has  had  charge  of  the  Grand 
opera  house  orchestra.  His  musical  ability 
and  success  as  a  leader  is  well  known  to  all 
theatre  goers,  and  the  orchestra  in  their 
dress  suits   presents  a  good  appearance   as 


well  as  furnishing  the  public  with  the  best 
of  music.  In  1898,  as  manager  and  di- 
rector, he  took  permanent  charge  of  De 
Molay's  Band,  which  gives  frequent  con- 
certs and  has  won  an  enviable  reputation 
throughout  this  section  of  the  country.  He 
practically  has  control  of  all  the  musical 
organizations  in  the  city,  a  rather  remark- 
able thing  for  a  man  as  young  as  he.  He 
has  as  many  as  twenty-five  musicians  who 
have  been  under  his  direction  for  a  number 
of  years,  and  by  treating  them  with  kind- 
ness and  as  gentlemen,  he  has  gained  their 
entire  confidence  and  respect.  In  token  of 
their  esteem,  the  orchestra  presented  him 
with  a  beautiful  gold  watch. 

On  the  6th  of  June,  1893,  Mr.  Ashton 
married  Miss  Elberta  M.  Richie,  of  Colfax, 
Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Christian  Richie,  and 
to  them  has  been  born  a  daughter,  Doris 
E.  They  are  members  of. the  Second  Pres- 
byterian church,  with  which  Mr.  Ashton 
united  about  six  years  ago,  and  he  has  had 
charge  of  a  number  of  church  orchestras. 

Mr.  Ashton  has  composed  many  popular 
airs — beginning  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 
Usually,  he  does  his  composing  after  re- 
turning from  parties.  Recently  he  has 
formed  a  stock  company  among  the  mem- 
bers of  his  own  orchestra  for  the  purpose  of 
publishing  his  compositions.  His  latest 
success  is  the  Gay  Tally-Ho,  a  popular  two- 
step  march. 


WILLIAM  HAYES  BEAVER.  Every- 
where in  our  land  are  found  men  who 
have  worked  their  own  way  from  humble 
beginning  to  leadership  in  commerce,  the 
great  productive  industries,  the  manage- 
ment of  financial  affairs,  and  in  controlling 
the  veins  and  arteries  of  traffic  and  exchang- 


WILLIAM   H.   BEAVER. 


'the   new   YOhK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR.  LENOX 
TILDtN  FOUNDATIONS 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


243 


es  of  the  country.  It  is  one  of  the  glories 
of  our  nation  that  it  is  so.  It  should  be  the 
strongest  incentive  and  encouragement  to 
the  youth  of  the  country  that  it  is  so. 
Prominent  among  the  self-made  men  of  Illi- 
nois is  the  subject  of  this  sketch — the  well 
known  lawyer  of  Bloomington. 

Mr.  Beaver  was  born  in  Lewisburg, 
Union  county,  Pennsylvania,  June  24,  1856, 
a  son  of  Adam  and  Rebecca  (Royer)  Bea- 
ver. On  the  paternal  side  he  traces  his  an- 
cestry back  to  Valentine  Beiber  (as  the  name 
was  then  spelled),  who  came  to  this  country 
from  Germany  about  1747  or  1748,  embark- 
ing at  Hamburg.  His  son,  Adam  Beaver, 
the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  helped 
to  lay  out  the  town  of  Lewisburg,  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  was  driven  away  by  the  Indians, 
and  going  to  Philadelphia  to  sell  town  lots 
he  there  enlisted  in  the  colonial  army  for 
the  Revolutionary  war,  and  was  in  the  serv- 
ice from  the  beginning  of  hostilities  until 
peace  was  once  more  restored.  He  was 
shot  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine,  but  not 
seriously  wounded.  After  the  war  he  lo- 
cated in  Lycoming  county,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  married  and  made  his  home 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life.  The 
grandfather,  John  Beaver,  was  born  near 
Muncie,  Pennsylvania,  at  what  is  called  the 
Beaver  settlement,  and  in  early  manhood 
moved  to  Union  county,  that  state,  where 
he  married  Anna  Baker,  and  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  year  continued  to  live  in  that 
county  until  called  from  this  life.  He  was 
a  good  farmer  and  a  Jacksonian  Democrat 
in  politics.  Adam  Beaver,  our  subject's  fa- 
ther, was  born  in  Union  county,  July  10, 
1 8 16,  and  was  reared  as  a  farmer  boy  upon 
the  old  Beaver  homestead.  In  early  life  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  but  later  con- 
ducted a  drug  business  for  twenty-five  years 


and  engaged  in  preaching  as  a  Dunkard 
minister,  both  he  and  his  wife  being  mem- 
bers of  that  religious  denomination.  They 
made  their  home  in  Lewisburg  until  1871, 
when  they  removed  to  Hartleton,  Union 
county,  where  the  father  died  January  5, 
1898,  honored  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him.  He  always  took  an  active  in- 
terest in  political  affairs,  and  voted  with  the 
Republican  party  after  its  organization  in 
1856.  He  left  five  children,  of  whom  our 
subject  is  next  to  the  youngest.  The  moth- 
er was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  when  a  child  of  ten  or  twelve 
years  she  accompanied  her  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Union  county.  Her  father,  Joel 
Royer,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  be- 
came a  rich  land  owner  in  the  latter  county. 
Her  grandfather,  Christopher  Royer,  was 
one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Lancaster 
county.  The  Royers  in  this  country  are  de- 
scended from  a  royal  French  family,  of 
Alsace,  which  was  founded  in  Maryland 
about  1750. 

William  H.  Beaver  began  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  Lewisburg,  Pennsylvania. 
It  was  his  father's  intention  to  make  him  a 
farmer  and  with  that  in  view  he  was  bound 
out  to  his  uncle  at  the  age  of  twelve  years, 
and  until  he  was  seventeen  he  followed  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  through  the  summer 
months  and  attended  the  district  schools 
during  the  winter  season.  Going  to  Mil- 
ton, Pennsylvania,  in  1874,  he  apprenticed 
himself  as  a  blacksmith  to  Seidell  &  Tilden, 
carriage  builders,  and  during  his  term  of 
three  years,  he  received  his  board  and 
twenty-five  dollars  the  first  year,  fifty  the 
second  and  seventy-five  the  third.  He  then 
had  charge  of  the  shop  as  chief  blacksmith 
for  one  year,  but  on  account  of  the  hard 
times  he  returned  home  in  1877,  remaining 


244 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


there  six  months.  In  1878,  he  resumed 
work  at  his  trade  for  George  Hunt,  a  car- 
riage manufacturer  of  Danville,  Pennsylva- 
nia, remaining  with  him  until  November  i, 
of  that  j'ear,  when  he  began  teaching  at  the 
Marsh  school,  a  mile  south  of  Milton.  The 
next  two  years  he  taught  at  Ephrata,  Penn- 
sylvania, where  the  first  paper  mill  in  the 
United  States  was  established,  and  where 
bullets  of  paper  were  manufactured  during 
the  Revolutionary  war.  Mr.  Beaver  was 
there  during  the  years  1879  and  1880,  pre- 
vious to  which  time  he  had  taken  up  the 
study  of  Latin  and  other  branches,  and  for 
one  term  was  a  student  in  the  Lewisburg 
University,  where  he  completed  the  fresh- 
man year. 

It  was  in  May,  1881,  that  Mr.  Beaver 
came  to  Illinois  and  first  settled  at  Lena, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  A.  Shan- 
non until  the  following  July.  He  then 
joined  his  brother  John  in  Chicago,  and  to- 
gether they  came  to  Bloomington,  it  being 
the  intention  of  the  latter,  who  was  a  drug- 
gist, to  buy  a  store  here,  but  being  taken  ill 
he  did  not  do  so.  Our  subject  then  accepted 
a  book  agency,  and  went  to  Burlington, 
Iowa,  to  sell  Bibles  and  albums,  in  which 
he  invested  all  his  money,  but  the  house 
absconded  and  he  was  compelled  to  sell  his 
books  as  best  he  could  to  pay  his  bills.  He 
returned  to  Bloomington  with  fifty-five 
cents  in  his  pocket  and  ninety  dollars' 
worth  of  books  sold  on  three  months'  time. 

Mr.  Beaver  then  entered  the  law  office 
of  Tipton  &  Ryan,  and  read  law  with  that 
firm  and  with  Judge  Tipton  until  admitted 
to  the  bar,  in  June,  1883,  after  which  he 
opened  an  office  and  engaged  in  practice 
alone.  In  1884  he  was  a  candidate  for  the 
office  of  state's  attorney,  and  though  almost 
an   entire   stranger,  he  went  into  the  con- 


vention with  eleven  delegates.  The  oppos- 
ing candidates  offered  him  the  position  of 
assistant  state's  attorney  if  he  would  with- 
draw, but  he  refused  this,  though  he  left 
his  delegates  at  liberty  to  vote  as  they 
saw  fit.  In  the  spring  of  1885  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  Judge  Tipton,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Tipton  &  Beaver,  which  con- 
nection was  dissolved  in  July,  1S89,  and  he 
then  engaged  in  practice  with  R.  L.  Flem- 
ing until  September,  1890. 

In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Beaver  assisted 
in  organizing  the  Equitable  Loan  &  Invest- 
ment Association,  of  which  he  was  elected 
secretary,  and  served  in  that  capacity  and 
as  attorney  for  the  same  until  three  years 
ago,  when  he  gave  up  the  latter  position, 
as  his  duties  had  become  too  arduous,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Barry,  of  the  firm  of 
Fifer  &  Barry.  As  secretary  and  manager, 
he  devoted  his  entire  time  and  attention 
to  the  business  of  the  association.  It  was 
mainly  to  our  subject  that  the  success  of 
the  enterprise  was  due,  for  he  served  as  its 
manager  from  the  start  and  displayed  re- 
markable business  and  executive  ability  in 
the  conduct  of  its  affairs. 

On  the  3d  of  September,  1885,  Mr. 
Beaver  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ida 
Brand,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George 
Brand,  and  to  them  have  been  born  five  chil- 
dren, namely:  George  Thomas;  John  Hayes; 
Margherita  E. ;  Robert,  deceased;  and  Will- 
iam. Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beaver  are  active 
and  prominent  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  is  serving  as 
steward,  and  he  is  also  connected  with  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  He 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Blooming- 
ton Club,  and  has  always  taken  an  active 
part  in  political  affairs,  as  a  duty  and  not  as 
an   office-seeker,    though  he  was   once  the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


HS 


candidate  of  the  Republican  party  for  alder- 
man of  his  ward.  He  has  a  lovely  home  on 
East  Grove  street,  where  the  many  friends 
of  the  family  are  always  sure  of  a  hearty 
welcome,  for  there  hospitalit}'  reigns  su- 
preme. The  life  of  Mr.  Beaver  is  a  living 
illustration  of  what  ability,  energy  and  force 
of  character  can  accomplish,  and  the  city 
and  state  has  been  enriched  by  his  example. 
It  is  to  such  men  that  the  west  owes  its 
prosperity,  its  rapid  progress  and  its  ad- 
vancement. 


JOHN  MOONEY,  residing  on  section  9, 
Randolph  township,  is  numbered 
among  the  substantial  and  well-known 
farmers  of  the  south  part  of  McLean  county, 
who,  by  his  own  labor  and  enterprise,  has 
acquired  a  valuable  and  well-improved  farm 
of  nearly  two  hundred  acres,  and  which  lies 
within  two  miles  of  the  village  of  Heyworth. 
He  was  born  June  22,  1833,  in  County 
Wexford,  Ireland,  and  comes  from  a  long 
line  of  noted  ancestry,  and  the  family  is 
still  living  on  the  old  farm  they  have  occu- 
pied for  over  a  century.  The  father,  grand- 
father and  great-grandfather  were  all  named 
John,  and  were  prominent  among  the  hon- 
est yeomanry  of  Wexford  county.  John 
Mooney,  the  father,  was  born  on  the  same 
farm  as  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and 
there  assisted  his  father  in  carrying  on  the 
old  farm.  He  married  Eliza  Ellison,  a 
Scotch  lady,  and  they  became  the  parents 
of  three  sons  and  five  daughters,  John,  our 
subject,  being  third  in  order  of  birth.  Of 
the  family  there  are  two  sons  and  three 
daughters  yet  living.  The  grandfather  of 
our  subject  died  at  the  age  of  one  hundred 
and  seven  years,  while  his  father  died  at 
the  age  of  ninety-five  years. 


John  Mooney  grew  to  manhood  in  his 
native  land,  and  there  received  a  fair  com- 
mon-school education.  He  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1859,  taking  passage  on 
an  old  sailing  vessel,  and  was  si.x  weeks  in 
crossing  the  Atlantic,  encountering  some 
severe  weather  while  on  the  way.  The 
ship  was  badly  damaged,  and  this  was  its 
last  voyage  before  being  condemned.  After 
landing  in  New  York  Mr.  Mooney  came 
direct  to  Illinois,  locating  first  in  DeWitt 
county,  where  he  went  to  work  as  a  farm 
hand  for  William  Quinlan,  working  by  the 
month,  for  which  he  received  twelve  dollars 
per  month.  He  remained  with  Mr.  Quin- 
lan for  seven  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  he  came  into  McLean  county  and  pur- 
chased the  place  where  he  now  resides,  a 
tract  of  one  hundred  acres.  On  the  place 
was  an  old  farm  house,  into  which  he 
moved,  and  in  which  he  lived  for  several 
years,  while  he  further  improved  the  place. 
He  put  out  an  orchard,  together  with  shade 
and  ornamental  trees,  fenced  and  tiled  the 
land,  and  later  bought  an  additional  eighty 
acres  adjoining.  More  recently  he  pur- 
chased thirty-one  acres  of  timber  land,  giv- 
ing him  two  hundred  and  eleven  acres. 
Within  a  few  years  he  has  erected  a  good 
and  substantial  dwelling  house,  built  good 
barns  and  other  outbuildings,  and  put  the 
farm  in  excellent  shape.  On  the  place  he 
has  a  well  of  never-failing  water,  and  all  the 
surroundings  of  the  farm  show  the  taste  and 
skill  of  the  owner,  and  show  him  to  be  one 
of  the  best  farmers  in  the  township.  He 
commenced  life  in  this  country  without  a 
dollar,  and  by  his  own  labor,  industry  and 
enterprise  succeeded  in  securing  a  large  and 
valuable  farm,  and  has  made  an  honored 
name  in  the  land  of  his  adoption. 

Mr.    Mooney   has   been  twice   married, 


246 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


first  in  1867,  to  Miss  Anna  Maria  Daneher, 
a  native  of  Ireland.  She  died  in  1885, 
after  which  he  made  a  trip  to  his  native 
land,  visiting  his  parents,  brothers,  sisters 
and  friends  in  the  old  home.  He  was  gone 
six  months,  during  which  time  he  visited 
some  of  the  most  important  cities  in  Great 
Britain.  Returning  home,  on  the  7th  of 
December,  1887,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Cornelia  Minton,  who  was  born 
and  reared  in  Claybourne  county,  Tennes- 
see, and  daughter  of  Philip  Minton,  who 
was  born  in  Washington  county,  Virginia, 
and  who  went  to  Tennessee  when  a  young 
man,  and  was  there  married  to  Mrs.  Rachel 
Hodges,  itce  Huddleston,  a  widow  lady. 
They  became  the  parents  of  five  children, 
Mrs.  Mooney  being  the  only  daughter.  She 
came  to  Illinois  with  her  brother,  and  here 
gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Mr.  Mooney. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mooney  four  children  have 
been  born,  of  whom  only  the  youngest, 
Esther  Margaret,  is  now  living.  Two  sons 
died  in  infancy,  and  one  daughter,  Ellisee, 
at  the  age  of  seven  years. 

On  coming  to  this  country  Mr.  Mooney 
identified  himself  with  the  Republican  party, 
and  has  since  supported  its  men  and  meas- 
ures in  all  national  elections.  In  local  elec- 
tions, he  usually  votes  for  the  man  he  re- 
gards as  best  qualified  to  fill  the  office  for 
which  he  is  running.  He  never  wanted  or 
sought  office  for  himself,  but  was  elected 
and  served  as  road  commissioner  two  years, 
and  also  served  two  terms  as  a  member  of 
the  school  board.  Mrs.  Mooney  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at 
Heyworth,  and  while  Mr.  Mooney  is  not  a 
member  of  any  church  organization,  he  at- 
tends church  with  his  wife  and  assists  in  its 
support.  He  was,  however,  reared  in  the 
Episcopal  faith, 


Mr.  Mooney  has  been  a  resident  of  Illi- 
nois for  forty  years,  and  of  McLean  county 
for  thirty-one  years,  during  which  time  he 
has  made  a  most  valuable  citizen,  and  is 
well  known  in  Bloomington,  the  south  part 
of  McLean,  and  the  north  part  of  DeWitt 
counties.  He  is  a  man  of  most  exemplary 
habits,  very  domestic  in  his  tastes,  a  great 
lover  of  home  and  family.  His  estimable 
wife  is  a  true  helpmeet  to  him,  a  believer  in 
her  husband's  many  excellent  qualities,  and 
they  live  and  work  harmoniously  together. 
They  are  held  in  high  esteem,  and  their 
many  friends  will  be  pleased  to  read  this 
short  history  of  their  lives. 


ALBERT  K.  WHITE,  who  is  now  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  the  real  estate 
and  money  loaning  business  in  Blooming- 
ton,  was  born  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio, 
November  23,  1848.  His  father,  David 
White,  was  born  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio, 
March  10,  1826,  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch  an- 
cestry, and  in  early  life  began  farming  in 
Ohio,  where  he  was  married,  December  24, 
1847,  to  Miss  Nancy  Wright.  They  made 
their  home  upon  a  farm  in  the  Buckeye 
state  until  the  fall  of  1854,  when  they  came 
to  Bloomington  and  the  following  year  lo- 
cated upon  a  farm  in  Old  Town  township, 
McLean  county.  They  are  now  living  in 
Heyworth  and  are  leading  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  that  place, 
with  which  the  father  is  officially  connected. 
Throughout  his  active  business  life  he  has 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  with  the  ex- 
ception of  one  year,  and  has  met  with  most 
excellent  success,  winning  a  comfortable 
competence  as  well  as  the  high  regard  of 
the  entire  community  in  which  he  live§. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


247 


Albert  K.  White  was  educated  in  the 
schools  near  his  boyhood  home,  pursuing 
his  studies  for  some  time  after  coming  to 
McLean  county,  in  the  log  building  known 
as  the  Campbell  school.  He  remained  upon 
the  home  farm  with  his  father  until  he  at- 
tained his  majority  and  then  started  out  in 
life  for  himself  as  a  farm  hand.  Later  he 
engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  account  in 
Empire  township.  During  this  time  he  was 
married,  March  4,  1879,  to  Miss  Sarah  E. 
Heffling,  a  daughter  of  Lindley  Heffling,  of 
that  township,  and  they  now  have  two  sons, 
Francis  M.  and  Luther  Earle. 

Prior  to  1865,  Mr.  White  carried  on 
operations  in  Old  Town  township,  and  then 
removed  to  Empire  township,  where  he 
continued  to  make  his  home  for  three  years 
after  his  marriage.  The  following  three 
years  were  passed  in  DeWitt  county,  after 
which  he  returned  to  McLean  county,  and 
engaged  in  farming  near  Heyworth  until 
coming  to  Bloomington  early  in  the  year 
1894.  He  operated  rented  land  and  was 
quite  extensively  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  until  closing  out  his  farming  interests 
in  1893.  During  his  residence  in  the  city 
he  has  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business, 
handling  a  good  deal  of  property,  mostly 
for  other  parties,  and  has  made  a  specialty 
of  placing  farm  and  city  loans,  which  has 
grown  to  be  an  important  branch  of  his 
business.  He  is  also  agent  for  several  in- 
surance companies.  Although  he  came  to 
Bloomington  without  any  knowledge  of  the 
business  methods  in  vogue,  he  has  met  with 
most  excellent  success,  and  has  won  an 
enviable  reputation  for  fair  and  honorable 
dealing.  Mr.  White  lived  in  Bloomington 
for  two  years,  but  three  years  ago  bought 
and  repaired  the  comfortable  home  he  now 
occupies  in  Normal.      Both  he  and  his  wife 


are  members  of  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  are  held  in  high  regard  by  all 
who  know  them. 


FREDERICK  ECKHARDT,  whose  name 
at  once  suggests  the  music  trade,  has  a 
reputation  which  extends  throughout  the 
country,  and  he  to-day  ranks  among  the 
prominent  business  men  of  Bloomington. 
Germany  has  furnished  to  the  new  world 
not  only  needed  workmen,  skilled  and  un- 
skilled, but  enterprising  merchants,  manu- 
facturers, artists  and  apt  dealers  upon  our 
marts  of  trade.  Among  the  manufacturers 
no  one  occupies  a  more  conspicuous  posi- 
tion than  our  subject,  the  well-known 
manufacturer  of  the  F.  Eckhardt  pianos. 

Mr.  Eckhardt  was  born  in  Hesse-Darm- 
stadt, Germany,  October  i,  1843,  a  son  of 
William  Eckhardt,  who  was  a  highly  edu- 
cated man  and  a  teacher,  and  also  a  well- 
known  musician,  his  special  instruments 
being  the  violin  and  piano,  on  which  he 
gave  lessons.  He  died  in  Hesse-Darm- 
stadt at  the  age  of  fifty  years  when  our  sub- 
ject was  only  four  years  old.  In  the 
family  have  been  many  talented  musicians, 
including  Charles  Eckhardt,  our  subject's 
cousin,  who  was  a  professor  of  music,  first 
m  Brazil  and  later  in  Roanoke,  Virginia, 
and  Lincoln,  Illinois. 

Our  subject  was  educated  in  public  and 
private  schools  of  his  native  land,  and  early 
in  life  manifested  a  taste  for  music.  After 
leaving  school,  he  served  a  three  years' 
apprenticeship  in  furniture  manufacturing, 
having  to  pay  for  the  privilege.  Later  he 
spent  two  years  with  a  well-known  piano 
manufacturer  of  Hamburg,  and  in  the 
meantime  also  gained  a  theoretical  knowl- 
edge of  music.      He  worked  as  a  journey- 


248 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


man  in  the  old  country  until  1867,  when  he 
came  to  the  United  States  and  first  located 
in  New  York  city,  where  he  worked  at  his 
trade  for  a  time.  Subsequently  he  was 
similarly  employed  in  Milwaukee,  Wiscon- 
sin, until  1870,  when  he  went  to  Racine 
and  embarked  in  the  manufacture  of  pianos 
on  his  own  account,  making  first  the  square 
and  grand  pianos  which  bore  the  name  of 
F.  Eckhardt  and  which  soon  became 
widely  known,  being  sold  all  over  the 
United  States  from  San  Francisco  to  New 
York.  He  has  ever  manufactured  an  in- 
strument of  fine  tone  and  volume,  is  per- 
fectly finished  and  sells  at  a  medium  rate. 
In  1875  he  began  the  manufacture  of  up- 
right pianos,  which  he  has  made  almost 
exclusively  since  1880.  He  started  in  busi- 
ness in  a  small  way,  but  as  his  rapidly  in- 
creased, he  enlarged  his  facilities  and  erec- 
ted a  large  brick  building  in  Racine,  which 
he  still  owns.  In  1896  he  removed  his 
machinery  and  plant  to  Bloomington  and 
built  a  good  two-story  brick  factory  with 
separate  engine  house,  on  Empire  street 
and  the  Illinois  Central  tracks,  where  he 
has  good  railroad  facilities.  He  has  ever 
given  his  personal  attention  to  every  detail 
of  the  business,  and  is  now  at  the  head  of 
a  large  and  profitable  trade  and  furnishes 
employment  to  a  large  number  of  men. 
His  factory  has  a  capacity  of  two  or  three 
hundred  pianos  a  year,  but  he  is  not  yet 
working  the  full  force. 

On  the  14th  of  October,  1895,  Mr.  Eck- 
hardt married  Miss  Josephine  Zuercher,  of 
Chicago,  of  which  city  she  is  a  native.  Her 
father,  Joseph  Zuercher,  is  of  Swiss  birth, 
and  has  lived  retired  from  active  business 
since  1872,  his  home  being  now  in  Bloom- 
ington. Mrs.  Eckhardt  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Chicago,  and  was  given  special 


instruction  in  music.  In  1872  she  went  to 
Stuttgart,  Germany,  to  continue  her  mu- 
sical studies,  both  vocal  and  instrumental, 
and  remained  there  a  year  and  a  half.  On 
her  return  to  the  United  States  she  success- 
fully engaged  in  teaching  music  in  Milwau- 
kee, Zanesville  and  Kenosha,  Wisconsin, 
and  also  Bloomington,  Illinois,  until  1889, 
when  she  again  went  to  Stuttgart,  where 
she  studied  under  Schwab,  the  musical 
leader  of  the  Royal  Theatre.  She  then  re- 
turned to  her  parents'  home  in  Bloomington 
and  resumed  teaching.  She  is  a  most  tal- 
ented musician,  and  for  a  time  was  con- 
nected with  musical  companies  giving  con- 
certs. As  a  musician  Mr.  Eckhardt  first 
met  her  at  a  concert  in  Kenosha,  Wisconsin, 
twenty  years  before  their  marriage.  They 
have  a  beautiful  home  at  No.  1 104  North 
Garrison  street,  where  she  has  lived  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  which  is  now  brightened  by 
the  presence  of  a  little  son,  Frederick 
Joseph.  Socially,  Mr.  Eckhardt  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Turners.  His  life  is  a  worthy 
illustration  of  what  can  be  accomplished  by 
the  exercise  of  industry,  perseverance  and 
good  management,  for  he  started  out  in  life 
for  himself  empty-handed  and  is  now  one 
of  the  well-to-do  and  prosperous  citizens  of 
his  adopted  city,  as  well  as  one  of  its  most 
highly  respected  business  men. 


SAMUEL  F.  BARNUM,  a  well-known 
and  prominent  citizen  of  Empire  town- 
ship, whose  home  is  on  section  16,  is  a  na- 
tive of  New  York,  his  birth  occurring  in  St. 
Lawrence  county,  August  11,  1824.  His 
ancestors  on  the  paternal  side  were  origi- 
nally from  Scotland  and  on  crossing  the 
Atlantic  at  an  early  day  in  the  history  of 
this  country  took  up  their  residence  in  New 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


249 


England.  Samuel  B.  Barnum,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Vermont,  and 
when  a  young  man  went  to  St.  Lawrence 
county.  New  York,  where  he  married  Miss 
Rhoda  M.  Farwell,  who  was  of  Welsh  de- 
scent. He  was  a  carder  and  fuller  by  trade 
and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cloth  at 
Canton,  St.  Lawrence  county,  for  many 
years  and  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
business  men  of  that  place.  Later  he  made 
his  home  in  Erie  county,  New  York,  for 
some  years,  and  from  there  removed  to 
Defiance,  Ohio,  about  1846.  He  engaged  in 
business  there  until  called  from  this  life  at 
the  age  of  si.xty-seven  years.  His  wife,  who 
survived  him  several  years,  passed  away  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six. 

In  Erie  county,  New  York,  Samuel  F. 
Barnum,  of  this  sketch,  grew  to  manhood, 
but  his  early  educational  advantages  were 
limited  and  he  is  almost  wholly  self-edu- 
cated by  reading  and  observation  in  subse- 
quent years.  In  1844,  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years,  he  was  married  in  that  county  to 
Miss  Clarinda  Bunting,  who  was  born  there. 
They  began  their  domestic  life  upon  a  small 
farm  which  he  owned  in  Erie  county,  and  in 
connection  with  its  operation  he  also  en- 
gaged in  general  merchandising.  In  1855  he 
came  to  McLean  county,  Illinois,  and  set- 
tled upon  land  in  Empire  township  which 
his  father  had  previously  purchased  and 
which  he  at  once  commenced  to  break  and 
fence.  The  first  year  being  very  dry,  he 
raised  no  crop  and  in  the  fall  returned  to 
New  York,  where  he  continued  to  engage 
in  mercantile  business  until  1863,  when  he 
again  came  to  McLean  county.  This  time 
he  accepted  a  position  as  bookkeeper  with 
the  lumber  firm  of  Bruner  &  Whitmer,  of 
Bloomington,  but  was  promoted  at  the  end 
of  a. year  and  his  salary  to  eighteen  hundred 


dollars  annually.  He  remained  with  the 
firm  five  years,  and  in  1870  formed  a  busi- 
ness partnership  with  Mr.  Bruner  and  came 
to  Le  Roy,  where  he  opened  a  lumber  yard 
and  engaged  in  the  lumber,  grain  and  coal 
business.  In  1872  Mr.  Keenan  purchased 
an  interest  and  the  firm  was  known  as 
Bruner,  Barnum  &  Keenan.  Later  Mr. 
Bruner  sold  out  and  the  business  was  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  in  Le  Roy  under  the 
firm  name  of  Barnum  &  Keenan  until  1889, 
when  Mr.  Barnum  sold  out  and  purchased 
a  farm  adjoining  the  village,  on  which  he 
located  in  1893,  and  to  the  further  improve- 
ment and  cultivation  of  which  he  has  since 
devoted  his  energies  with  marked  success. 
To  the  original  purchase  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  he  has  added  until  he  now 
has  three  hundred  and  nineteen- acres,  which 
he  has  placed  under  excellent  cultivation, 
and  has  erected  thereon  two  good  resi- 
dences, barns  and  other  outbuildings,  mak- 
ing it  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  desir- 
able farms  of  Empire  township. 

Mr.  Barnum's  first  wife  died  in  Erie 
county.  New  York,  in  1861.  Three  chil- 
dren were  born  of  that  union,  namely: 
Matilda  M.  is  now  the  wife  of  C.  D.  Wat- 
ers, of  Le  Roy.  Henry  I.  married  and  set- 
tled in  Le  Roy,  where  he  engaged  in  busi- 
ness until  his  death  in  1889,  leaving  two 
children.  Henry  Clay  died  in  1856,  at  the 
age  of  four  years.  Mr.  Barnum  was  again 
married  at  Bloomington,  in  1865,  his  sec- 
ond union  being  with  Miss  Eliza  Patterson, 
a  native  of  McLean  county  and  a  daughter 
of  Hiram  Patterson,  who  came  to  McLean 
county  from  southern  Illinois  in  March, 
1837.  He  was  born  in  1805  in  North  Caro- 
lina. He  was  a  wheelwright  and  cabinet- 
maker by  trade.  He  died  in  1844.  Dur- 
ing his  residence  here  he  took  quite  an  in- 


250 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


terest  in  church  affairs.  By  this  marriage 
there  are  two  sons  :  Percy  D. ,  who  is  en- 
gaged in  farming  upon  the  home  place, 
married  Rettie  C.  Croslcey,  and  has  one  son, 
Edwin;  and  George  P.  is  a  businessman  of 
Santa  Rosa,  California. 

Originally,  Mr.  Barnum  was  a  Whig  in 
politics  and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
Zachary  Taylor  in  1848.  Since  then  he  has 
supported  each  presidential  candidate  of  the 
Whig  and  Republican  parties,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  those  of  i860,  when  he  voted  for 
Stephen  A.  Douglas,  the  little  giant.  He 
has  been  a  prominent  factor  in  local  poli- 
tics, and  as  one  of  the  most  popular  and  in- 
fluential citizens  of  his  community,  he  has 
been  called  upon  to  serve  his  fellow-citizens 
in  several  important  offices.  For  four 
years  he  was  mayor  of  Le  Roy,  and  has 
been  a  member  of  the  county  board  of  super- 
visors. While  in  the  latter  office  he  served 
as  chairman  of  the  judiciary  committee  one 
year,  and  as  a  member  of  several  other  im- 
portant ones.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to 
county,  congressional  and  state  conventions 
of  his  party,  and  in  whatever  position  he 
has  been  called  upon  to  fill  he  has  made  a 
most  faithful  and  efficient  officer.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  stockholders  and  first  mem- 
bers of  the  Building  and  Loan  Association 
of  Le  Roy,  and  served  as  its  president  for 
twenty-four  consecutive  years.  Industry, 
energy  and  economy  are  among  his  chief 
characteristics,  and  have  brought  a  merited 
success  to  his  efforts.  Fraternally,  he  is  a 
Master  Mason,  and  in  both  social  and  busi- 
ness circles  he  stands  deservedly  high. 


JONATHAN  SPENCER,  who  resides  on 
what  is  known  as  the  Evergreen  farm, 
in  Dawson  township,  is  one  of  the  early  set- 


tlers of  McLean  county,  and  one  who  has 
been  a  pioneer  in  two  states.  He  was  born 
in  Tioga  county,  Pennsylvania,  December 
27,  1 814,  and  is  the  son  of  Jonathan  Lee 
and  Levina  (Raxford)  Spencer,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  the  Keystone  state.  The 
grandfather  of  our  subject  had  one  daugh- 
ter and  twenty-one  sons,  and  at  the  time  of 
the  Revolutionary  war  sixteen  of  them  were 
able  to  carry  muskets. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  eleven 
years  old  when  he  left  his  Pennsylvania 
home,  going  to  Hawkins  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  at  McAr- 
thurstown  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Polly  Ann  Watkins,  a  native  of  Athens 
county,  Ohio,  and  daughter  of  William  and 
Hannah  Watkins,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Virginia.  Soon  after  marriage,  at 
the  age  of  twenty-three  years,  he  came  to 
Illinois  and  located  first  in  Vermilion  county, 
where  he  remained  thirteen  years,  and  then 
came  to  McLean  county  and  settled  in  Old 
Town  township,  where  he  bought  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty-five  acres,  for  which 
he  gave  the  sum  of  eight  hundred  dollars. 
Seven  years  later  he  sold  it  for  two  thousand 
and  sixty  dollars.  He  then  bought  his  pres- 
ent farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Dawson  town- 
ship, which  has  since  continued  to  be  his 
home. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spencer  eleven  children 
were  born.  James  died  at  the  age  of  six 
months.  Catherine  married  Marcus  Wyman, 
of  Vermilion  county,  Illinois,  and  dying  left 
two  children,  Mary  and  William.  Louisa 
married  Elijah  Gayno,  and  they  reside  on  a 
farm  near  Sioux  City,  Iowa.  Leander  and 
William  are  living  near  Kingfisher,  Okla- 
homa. Newman  resides  in  Dawson  town- 
ship. Stephen  moved  to  Nebraska  and 
died  leaving  a  family  of  four  children.     John 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


!5i 


residing  with  his  father.  Mary  married  La- 
fayette Thomas  and  died  at  Fort  Scott, 
Kansas,  leaving  five  children.  Frank  is  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Dawson  township.  The 
others  died  in  early  childhood.  The  mother 
died  in  August,  1881,  and  her  remains  were 
interred  in  the  cemetery  at  Le  Roy.  She 
was  a  true  Christian  woman,  a  member  of 
the  United  Brethren  church. 

On  Thanksgiving  day,  1884,  Mr.  Spen- 
cer was  again  married,  his  second  union 
being  with  Mrs.  Anna  Kilbourne,  widow  of 
Lemuel  Kilbourne,  by  whom  she  had  three 
children,  Orson,  Mary  and  Earl.  She  was 
born  and  reared  in  New  York,  but  her  mar- 
riage to  our  subject  took  place  in  Nebraska. 
In  her  younger  days  Mrs.  Spencer  was  a 
teacher  in  the  public  schools.  She  is  an 
intelligent  and  refined  woman  and  has  made 
many  friends  since  her  residence  in  McLean 
county. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Spencer  was  a 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  church, 
but  he  is  now  identified  with  the  Protestant 
Methodists,  with  which  body  his  wife  is  also 
a  member.  He  has  never  been  connected 
with  any  lodge  or  fraternal  society,  believ- 
ing that  the  church  of  Christ  is  sufficient 
for  all  purposes.  On  national  issues  he  has 
always  been  a  Democrat,  but  in  local  mat- 
ters he  is  independent,  voting  for  the  man 
best  fitted  for  the  office  to  which  he  aspires. 
He  has  been  called  on  to  fill  several  posi- 
tions of  honor  and  trust,  having  served  as 
justice  of  the  peace,  supervisor,  school  di- 
rector and  road  commissioner,  discharging 
the  duties  of  each  office  to  the  best  of  his 
ability  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  constit- 
uents. For  si.xty-two  years  he  has  been  a 
resident  of  Illinois,  and  the  greater  part  of 
that  time  as  a  citizen  of  McLean  county. 
When  he  came   the   country  was  new,  but 

13 


with  others  of  the  heroic  pioneer  band  he 
went  to  work  and  to-day  the  results  are 
shown  in  the  well-cultivated  fields,  the  fine 
and  substantial  farm  houses,  excellent 
church  buildings  and  school  houses,  and  in 
the  neat  and  attractive  villages  and  cities. 
To  such  men  as  Johnathan  Spencer  this  is 
all  due  and  they  should  be  honored  for 
it  all. 


LOREF  H.  DEPEW,  a  wide-awake  and 
energetic  business  man  of  Blooming- 
ton,  was  born  in  that  city,  November  10, 
1856,  a  son  of  Joel  and  Sally  (Enlow)  Depew. 
The  father  was  born  and  reared  in  Virginia, 
and  in  early  life  removed  with  his  parents 
to  Indiana,  where  they  died.  Subsequently 
he  came  to  Bloomington,  about  1 840,  and  em- 
barked in  business  as  a  cabinet  maker.  He 
erected  quite  a  large  factory  which  he  suc- 
cessfully conducted  until  it  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  As  one  of  the  prominent  and  influential 
citizens  of  Bloomington  and  a  recognized 
leader  in  the  Republican  party  here,  he  was 
honored  with  several  important  official  posi- 
tions, serving  as  mayor  of  the  city  the  last 
year  of  the  war,  and  as  alderman  for  some 
years.  His  last  years  were  spent  in  retire- 
ment and  he  passed  away  in  1872.  The 
Depew  family  is  of  French  origin,  and  so 
far  as  known,  all  of  the  name  in  the  United 
States  spring  from  two  brothers  who  came 
to  America  about  the  time  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  Chauncey  Depew,  the  great 
New  York  statesman,  traces  his  ancestry 
back  to  the  same  two  brothers.  It  was  in 
Bloomington  that  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  married  to  Miss  Sally  Enlow,  a  native 
of  Kentucky  and  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Katherine  Enlow,  with  whom  she  came  to 
this  county.      She  died  February   12,  1899. 


252 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


She  was  the  mother  of  five  children,  Loren 
H.,  our  subject,  and  Ora,  now  deceased, 
and  three  who  died  in  infancy. 

Loren  H.  Depew  was  educated  in  private 
schools  of  Bloomington,  and  at  the  age  of 
thirteen  commenced  learning  the  baker's 
trade,  at  which  he  served  a  two  years'  ap- 
prenticeship, but  not  liking  the  business  he 
abandoned  it  and  learned  the  cleaner's  and 
dyer's  trade,  which  he  followed  until  attain- 
ing his  majority.  He  was  then  employed 
as  a  clerk  in  the  merchant  tailoring  estab- 
lishments of  E.  C.  Hyde  &  Son  and  H.  W. 
Leach  for  twenty  years,  proving  a  most  suc- 
cessful salesman  and  numbering  among  his 
customers  many  of  the  leading  citizens  of 
Bloomington.  The  following  three  years  he 
was  proprietor  of  a  restaurant  and  in  that 
venture  met  with  most  excellent  success. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  he  again  turned  his 
attention  to  the  cleaning  and  dying  business 
and  for  a  number  of  years  conducted  an  es- 
tablishment of  his  own  in  the  old  post  office 
block  until  it  was  remodeled.  For  the  past 
two  years  he  has  carried  on  business  at  Nos. 
104  and  106  South  Main  street,  where  he 
has  a  large  steam  plant  for  dying  and  is  able 
to  conduct  his  business  by  the  latest  and 
most  approved  methods.  He  is  the  best 
equipped  and  leading  business  man  in  his 
line  in  the  city.  He  has  also  built  up  a 
large  trade  as  a  costumer,  furnishing  every- 
thing necessary  for  ball  parties,  private 
theatricals,  etc.  Being  naturally  artistic  in 
his  tastes,  he  has  designed  many  beautiful 
costumes,  and  is  therefore  well  qualified  for 
this  branch  of  his  business. 

Mr.  Depew  married  Miss  Tillie  E.  Aus- 
ten, of  Bloomington,  who  was  born  in 
Denmark,  but  during  early  childhood  was 
brought  to  America  by  her  father,  Lewis 
Austen.      One  child  graces  this  union,  Cora 


M.  With  his  wife,  Mr.  Depew  attends  and 
supports  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  of 
which  she  is  a  member.  Socially,  he  be- 
longs to  Pythias  Lodge,  No.  161,  K.  P.,  of 
which  he  has  been  master  at  work  for 
eight  years,  and  is  also  sergeant-major  of 
the  First  Battalion  of  Fourth  Regiment 
of  Uniformed  Rank  of  Knights  of  Pythias, 
which  he  has  accompanied  to  several 
state  encampments  and  six  national  en- 
campments, including  one  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  In  the 
spring  of  1876  he  joined  Company  F,  Tenth 
Battallion,  Illinois  National  Guards,  and 
ten  years  later  enlisted  in  Company  G, 
Fourth, Regiment,  Illinois  National  Guards, 
with  which  regiment  he  was  twice  called 
into  active  service,  once  during  the  famous 
riot  at  Lemont,  where  he  remained  for 
a  number  of  weeks.  After  his  last  enlist- 
ment he  served  for  five  years.  He  is  an 
ardent  supporter  of  the  Republican  party, 
and  in  1884  organized  the  Blaine  and 
Logan  drill  team,  which  took  an  active 
part  in  the  campaign  in  central  Illinois. 
As  a  business  man  and  citizen,  he  justly 
merits  the  high  regard  in  which  he  is  held, 
and  his  genial,  pleasant  manner  has  made 
him   a  host  of  warm  personal  friends. 


JOHN  B.  LENNEY  has  demonstrated  the 
true  meaning  of  the  word  success  as 
the  full  accomplishment  of  an  honorable 
purpose.  Energy,  close  application,  perse- 
verance and  good  management — these  are 
the  elements  which  have  entered  into  his 
business  career  and  crowned  his  efforts  with 
prosperity.  His  birth  occurred  in  18 19,  in 
Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  he 
is  the  only  surviving  of   the  three  children 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


253 


of  William  and  Sarah  B.  Lenney,  who  died 
in  their  native  state,  Pennsylvania.  John 
was  reared  and  educated  in  Cumberland 
county,  where  he  worked  on  a  farm,  and  as 
he  grew  older  he  learned  cabinet-making, 
which  he  pursued  until  1856,  when  he  came 
west,  locating  in  Chenoa,  and  built  the  first 
frame  dwelling  house.  Chenoa  at  that 
time  presented  a  vastly  different  appearance 
than  at  the  present  day.  The  only  houses 
in  sight,  two  in  number,  constituted  the 
town,  and  the  neighborhood  abounded  in 
game  of  all  kinds.  Mr.  Lenney  has  counted 
as  many  as  forty-two  deer  within  half  a  mile 
of  his  house.  His  first  enterprise  upon  reach- 
ing Chena  was  to  engage  in  the  grocery  busi- 
ness, which  he  conducted  for  two  years,  then 
taking  into  partnership  G.  B.  Beddinger, 
and  enlarging  the  stock  and  adding  dry- 
goods,  etc.  They  conducted  business  under 
the  firm  name  of  Beddinger  &  Lenney  for 
four  years,  when  Mr.  Lenney  received  the 
appointment  as  the  first  postmaster  of  Che- 
noa, serving  in  that  capacity  for  twelve 
years.  He  was  also  appointed  express  agent 
at  Chenoa  for  the  United  States  Express 
Company,  which  position  he  held  for  the 
same  length  of  time.  In  1870  he  was  com- 
missioned justice  of  the  peace,  an  office 
which  he  holds  at  the  present  writing. 

In  January,  1848,  Mr.  Lenney  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Bush,  who  was  born 
in  Shippensburg,  Pennsylvania.  Nine  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  them,  six  of  whom 
are  living:  William  B.,  a  farmer;  John  W. , 
a  druggist;  Blair,  a  painter;  Lyslie  K. ,  a 
clerk;  Edward,  also  a  farmer;  and  Mary  E. 
Politically,  our  subject  is  a  Republican,  and 
fraternally  a  Mason,  who  has  been  raised  to 
the  sublime  degree  of  Master  Mason  in  Che- 
noa. He  is  now  living  a  retired  life,  free 
from  business  cares  and  responsibilities,  and 


takes  great  pleasure  in  the  society  of  his 
family  and  friends.  He  is  always  courteous, 
kindly  and  affable,  and  those  who  know  him 
personally  have  for  him  a  warm  regard.  A 
man  of  much  natural  ability,  his  success  in 
business  from  the  beginning  of  his  residence 
in  Chenoa,  was  uniform  and  rapid.  As  has 
been  truly  remarked,  after  all  that  may  be 
done  for  a  man  in  the  way  of  giving  him  op- 
portunities for  obtaining  the  requirements 
which  are  sought  in  the  schools  and  in  books, 
he  must  essentially  formulate,  determine 
and  give  shape  to  his  own  character;  and 
this  is  what  Mr.  Lenney  has  done.  He  has 
persevered  in  the  pursuit  of  persistent  pur- 
pose and  gained  the  most  satisfactory  re- 
ward. His  life  is  exemplary  in  all  respects, 
and  he  has  ever  supported  those  interests 
which  are  calculated  to  benefit  and  uplift 
humanity,  while  his  own  high  moral  worth 
is  deserving  the  highest  commendation. 


BYRON  GREGORY,  who  is  now  serv- 
ing as  supervisor  of  Money  Creek 
township,  is  an  extensive  farmer  and  stock 
raiser,  and  a  native  of  McLean  county.  He 
was  born  on  the  old  family  homestead  in 
Gridley  township,  December  14,  1868,  and 
is  the  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Henline) 
Gregory,  who  were  early  settlers  of  the 
county,  the  father  being  well  known  as  one 
of  the  largest  land  owners  here,  having  at 
the  time  he  retired  from  active  business 
over  three  thousand  acres  of  land.  (See 
sketch  of  John  Gregory  on  another  page  of 
this  work.) 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  one  of 
seven  children,  and  was  but  two  years  old 
when  his  parents  moved  to  Normal,  and  in 
the  schools  of  that  city  he  received  a  liberal 
education.      Arriving  at    man's   estate,   and 


254 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


choosing  as  his  calling  the  life  of  a  farmer, 
he  returned  to  Gridley  township  and  set  to 
work  with  a  will  as  a  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser.  He  continued  to  be  thus  engaged 
until  1895,  when  he  returned  to  Normal, 
and  in  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law, 
F.  W.  Liggitt,  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business  under  the  firm  name  of  Liggitt  & 
Gregory.  Two  years  experience  as  a  mer- 
chant was  all  that  he  then  desired,  and  he 
then  withdrew,  exchanging  his  interest  in 
the  store  for  his  present  farm  in  Money 
Creek  township,  which  comprises  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty  acres  in  sections  17  and  18, 
the  farm  long  being  known  as  the  Trimmer 
farm.  He  is  giving  his  attention  to  general 
farming  and  stock-raising,  being  an  exten- 
sive feeder,  and  shipping  on  an  average  five 
car  loads  of  stock  per  year. 

Mr.  Gregory  was  married  December  24, 
1889,  to  Miss  Hattie  Britt,  who  was  born 
in  Tazewell  county,  and  daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Sarah  (Burt)  Britt,  who  were 
early  settlers  of  Tazewell  county,  and  the 
parents  of  four  children:  Pauline,  wife  of 
Dr.  Doff  Dillon,  of  Normal;  Emma,  wife 
of  Joseph  Richmond,  of  Tazewell  county, 
Illinois;  John  C,  a  business  man  of  Farm- 
ington,  Illinois;  and  Hattie,  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject. To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gregory  three 
children  have  been  born — Omer  B.,  Marie 
and  Florence. 

In  politics  Mr.  Gregory  is  a  Democrat, 
with  which  party  he  has  been  identified 
since  attaining  his  majority.  In  the  spring 
of  1899  he  was  elected  on  that  ticket  to 
represent  his  township  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  supervisors  of  McLean  county, 
and  this  in  a  township  that  usually  gives  a 
large  Republican  majority,  which  fact  attests 
his  popularity.  Fraternally  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  El  Paso  Lodge,  No.  246,  A.  F.  &  A. 


M.,  and  of  Bloomington  Chapter,  No.  26, 
R.  A.  M.  Religiously  he  is  identified  with 
the  Christians,  holding  membership  in  the 
Christian  church  at  Gridley.  While  yet  a 
young  man,  he  has  been  quite  successful  in 
his  chosen  calling,  and  is  a  thoroughly  en- 
terprising and  progressive  citizen,  alive  to 
all  the  best  interests  of  his  native  county 
and  state. 


ANDREW  M.  DUFF,  a  prominent  young 
real-estate  dealer  of  Bloomington,  was 
born  in  Lincoln,  Illinois,  May  i,  1873,  a  son 
of  Andrew  M.  and  Belle  F.  (Johnson)  Duff, 
both  natives  of  Kentucky.  The  father  was 
one  of  the  very  early  settlers  of  Logan  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  took  up  a  tract  of  new 
land  and  successfully  engaged  in  general 
farming  and  stock  raising.  He  was  an  ar- 
dent Republican  in  political  sentiment,  but 
never  an  aspirant  for  office.  He  died  De- 
cember 21,  1 88 1,  honored  and  respected  by 
all  who  knew  him.  The  wife  and  mother, 
who  is  now  living  in  the  city  of  Lincoln, 
came  to  this  state  with  her  parents  at  an 
early  day  and  located  west  of  Bloomington, 
where  they  both  died.  She  is  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church  and  a  most  estimable  lady.  She  is 
the  mother  of  ten  children,  of  whom  nine 
reached  years  of  maturity,  and  of  these  our 
subject  is  the  seventh  in  order  of  birth. 

During  his  boyhood  and  youth,  Andrew 
M.  Duff,  our  subject,  pursued  his  studies  in 
the  public  schools,  and  later  in  Brown's 
Business  College.  Going  to  Lincoln,  Illi- 
nois, he  worked  in  the  abstract  office  of  H. 
W.  Dana,  and  during  the  few  years  spent 
there  obtained  an  excellent  knowledge  of 
titles  and  the  real-estate  business.  Later  he 
engaged  in  the  real-estate  and  loan  business 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


255 


on  his  own  account  at  Hastings,  Nebraska, 
but  gave  more  attention  to  the  latter.  He 
located  there  in  1894  and  did  quite  a  profit- 
able business,  but  concluded  to  return  to 
his  native  state  and  this  time  located  in 
Champaign,  where  he  was  employed  by  the 
Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad 
Company  as  their  emigration  agent,  travel- 
ing and  selling  their  western  lands.  At  the 
end  of  a  year,  he  came  to  Bloomington, 
and  on  the  ist  of  January,  1898,  opened  an 
office  in  the  Gresheim  building  and  has 
since  successfully  engaged  in  the  real-estate 
business.  He  sells  on  commission  for  oth- 
ers, and  also  buys  and  sells  property  for  his 
own  benefit.  He  has  often  dealt  two  or 
three  times  with  the  same  parties  and  his 
straightforward,  honorable  business  meth- 
ods gain  for  him  the  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact. 
Mr.  Duff  was  united  in  marriage,  on 
the  4th  of  June,  1894,  with  Miss  Jessie 
S.  Kent,  a  daughter  of  Arthur  W.  Kent, 
who  was  born  in  London,  England,  but 
during  childhood  emigrated  to  Canada,  and 
in  1883  removed  to  Logan  county,  Illinois. 


WILLIAM  MADDUX,  Sr.,  was  for  many 
years  actively  identified  with  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  Bloomington,  but  is  now 
practically  living  retired,  and  e.xpects  to 
spend  his  remaining  years  in  ease  and  quiet, 
enjoying  the  rest  which  should  always  follow 
a  long  and  useful  career.  He  was  born  in 
Flemingsburg,  Fleming  county,  Kentucky, 
July  23,  1832,  a  son  of  Edward  Dorsey  and 
Elizabeth  (Deering)  Maddux,  and  grandson 
of  George  B.  and  Judith  (Neal)  Maddux. 
The  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Virginia  and 
when  a  young  man  moved  to  Fleming  coun- 
ty, Kentucky,  where  he  purchased  land  and 


continued  to  make  his  home  throughout  life. 
He  was  a  grand  old  man  who  was  quite  prom- 
inent in  his  community,  and  in  religious  be- 
lief was  a  strict  Methodist.  He  with  his 
team,  was  drafted  during  the  war  of  1812, 
but  he  hired  a  substitute  to  take  the  team 
and  haul  provisions  for  the  army  throughout 
the  remainder  of  that  struggle.  He  was 
three  times  married  and  by  the  first  union 
had  ten  children,  the  second  nine,  and  the 
third  two.  The  father  of  our  subject  was 
by  the  first  marriage.  The  grandfather  died, 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  burying  ground 
upon  his  farm.  He  was  an  earnest  Christain 
man  and  his  home  was  always  the  stopping 
place  for  ministers. 

Edward  Dorsey  Maddux,  the  father  of 
subject,  was  born  in  1805,  not  far  from  the 
birthplace  of  our  subject,  and  there  he  grew 
to  manhood.  He  was  a  teamster  by  occu- 
pation and  did  quite  and  extensive  business, 
traveling  with  a  six-horse  team  all  over  the 
country  as  far  as  Lexington,  Frankfort  and 
Maysville.  Later  he  purchased  a  farm 
about  five  miles  from  Flemingsburg,  upon 
which  our  subject  was  born.  He  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  Deering,  also  a  native  of 
Fleming  county,  Kentucky,  and  a  daughter 
of  William  and  Anna  (Rogers)  Deering,  na- 
tives of  Fauquier  county,  Virginia,  who  at 
an  early  day  located  in  Fleming  county, 
Kentuck,  where  Mr.  Deering  owned  and  op- 
erated a  farm  until  his  death.  His  widow 
subsequently  married  a  Mr.  Cunningham, 
by  whom  she  had  one  child,  and  she  passed 
away  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  When 
our  subject  was  about  eleven  years  of  age, 
his  father  sold  his  farm  and  removed  to 
Flemingsburg,  where  he  engaged  in  teaming 
for  some  years.  The  mother  died  near  that 
place  October  9,  1853,  and  the  father  spent 
the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life  at  the  home 


!S6 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


of  our  subject,  where   he  departed  this  Hfe 
June  1 8,  1 89 1 .      Both  were  earnest  and  con- 
sistent members  of  the  Christain  church,  at- 
tending services  at  what  was  called  the  brick 
Union  church,  in  Fleming  county.     To  them 
were    born    five    children,    of    whom   three 
reached  the  years  of  maturity,  namely:  Will- 
iam,   our   subject;    Ann,     wife    of    Dunbar 
White,  of  Bloomington;  and  George  R.     All 
now  live  on  Buchanan  street,  Bloomington. 
The   subject    of    this   sketch  began    his 
education    in  the  country   schools  near  his 
childhood  home  and  later  attended  the  Lane 
Seminary  at  Flemingsburg  until  fifteen  years 
of    age,    when    he  commenced  earning  his 
own    livelihood  by    working  by  the  month, 
and  was  thus    employed  until  his  marriage. 
On  the  2ist  of  July,  1853,  Mr.  Maddu.x  was 
united    in    marriage    with    Miss  Mary  Ann 
Summers,   who   was  then  living  five  miles 
east    of    Flemingsburg,  but  was  born  near 
Mays  Lick,  Mason  county,  Kentucky,    Feb- 
ruary 27,    1831.     Her  parents,  Elijah  and 
Elizabeth    (Batman)    Summers,    were    also 
natives  of  the   same  place,  and  were  repre- 
sentatives of    two  of  the  oldest  families  of 
that  section.      Soon  after  the  birth  of   Mrs. 
Maddux   they   moved    to  Fleming    county, 
where  the  father   engaged   in  farming  until 
April,    1858,  when  he  disposed  of  his  prop- 
erty  there   and  came   to  Bloomington,  Illi- 
nois.     He  did  not  long  enjoy  his  new  home, 
however,   as   he  died  on  the  9th  of  the  fol- 
lowing   October,    at    the  age    of   sixty-two 
years.     The  mother  continued  her  residence 
here    until    after    the    civil    war,  when  she 
went  to  live  with  a  son  in  Kansas,  but  after- 
ward, at  the  age  of  eighty  years,  visited  her 
daughter  in  Bloomington.      She  died  in  Kan- 
sas January  21,  1894,  at  the  age   of  ninety- 
three  years.      Both   she    and    her  husband 
were    faithful    members    of    the   Methodist 


Episcopal  church.      Her  father,  Owen  Bat- 
man, was  a  native  of  Wales,  and  a  pioneer 
of   Mason   county,  Kentucky,  where  in  the 
midst    of    the  forest  he  hewed  out  a  home. 
Later   he    went  to  Ohio   and    located  near 
Xenia,  where  his  death  occurred.     William 
Summers,  Mrs.    Maddux's    paternal  grand- 
father, was  also  born  in  Virginia  and    was 
one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Mason  county, 
Kentucky.      While  building  his  log  cabin  he 
had  to  leave  his  family  at  Fort  Washington 
for  protection  against  the  Indians,  and  there 
the  wife  sickened  and  died,  leaving  him  with 
the  care  of  five  little  boys.      He  took  them 
into  the  woods,  where  he  made  for  them  a 
home.      Later  he  married  Patience  Havens, 
who  was  the  grandmother  of  Mrs.   Maddux, 
and    after   her  death  he  was  again  married. 
He   was    the    progenitor    of    the    Summers 
family    in   Kentucky,    and    his  descendants 
are  now  quite  numerous  in  that  state.     He 
was  an   upright,   honorable  man,  who  met 
with  success   in  life,  and   his   sons  were  all 
quite  well-to-do.      To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maddux 
were  born    nine    children,    but    only   three 
now  survive.      Walter,    the   youngest,   died 
at  the  age  of  eight  years.      The  living  are  as 
follows:       Ella    is   the    wife    of    Julius   H. 
Reichel,    who   lives    in    a    house   adjoining 
that    of    our   subject    in    Bloomington,  and 
they  have  one  son,  Arthur  Harvey;    Millard 
Lincoln,  a  member  of  the  police  force,  mar- 
ried   Edith  Wolfe  and  has  one  child,   Etta 
B. ;    and    William    Edward,    who    was  for 
some  time  engaged  in  milling,  but   now  fol- 
lows the  printer's  trade,  married  Zua  White, 
and  has  two  children,  James  D.  and  Herman 
Lincoln. 

On  the  30th  of  November,  1854,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Maddux  took  up  their  residence 
in  Bloomington,  having  come  here  from 
their  old  home  in  Kentucky  by  way  of  the 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


257 


river  from  Maysville,  Kentucky,  to  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  and  from  there  by  rail  to  Indi- 
anapolis, Indiana,  and  by  the  railroad  to 
Michigan  City,  Chicago,  and  to  Blooming- 
ton  on  the  Chicago  &  Alton,  which  then 
ended  at  this  place.  Here  he  sought  em- 
ployment, and  the  first  work  he  found  was 
cutting  ice  at  one  dollar  and  twenty-five 
cents  per  day  and  it  proved  a  very  cold  job 
for  a  southerner.  He  had  just  six  and  one- 
fourth  cents  on  his  arrival  at  Bloomington. 
He  had  previously  made  arrangements  to 
take  a  farm  in  this  county,  but  on  their 
arrival  the  other  parties  backed  out  and 
they  were  left  without  a  place.  As  they 
had  been  used  to  plenty  it  was  at  first  hard 
to  get  along  on  the  small  salary  he  could 
earn  by  working  at  odd  jobs.  They  went 
to  the  Ritter  House,  now  the  Butler  House, 
where  he  paid  seven  dollars  a  week  for 
board,  at  the  same  time  only  earning  seven 
dollars  and  a  half.  For  ten  years  Mr. 
Maddux  was  employed  as  a  driver  of  a  flour 
wagon  and  in  that  way  became  somewhat 
familiar  with  the  milling  business,  which  he 
later  successfully  followed.  In  1878,  with 
William  Cox,  he  purchased  a  grocery  stock, 
and  engaged  in  business  in  the  Hill  building 
on  South  East  street.  Having  already  be- 
come extensively  acquainted  throughout  the 
city,  he  did  a  large  and  profitable  business 
during  the  following  two  years.  Selling  his 
interest  in  that  store,  he  bought  a  half  in- 
terest in  the  grocery  of  George  Woy,  and 
under  the  firm  name  of  Woy  &  Maddux 
business  was  carried  on  for  a  time,  but  our 
subject  finally  sold  out  to  his  partner.  He 
then  started  in  business  on  Front,  near 
East  street,  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Maddux  &  Elledge,  and  when  his  partner 
sold  his  interest  to  Walker  Bulwer  the  name 
was  changed  to  Maddux  &  Bulwer.      Later 


they  moved  to  the  corner  of  Front  and 
Prairie  streets  and  admitted  W.  I.  Merwin 
into  the  firm,  the  name  being  then  changed 
to  Maddux,  Merwin  &  Bulwer.  They  occu- 
pied a  new  building  and  did  a  large  and 
profitable  business.  Subsequently,  George 
B.  Miller  bought  the  half  interest  owned' 
by  Merwin  and  Bulwer  and  the  firm  became 
Maddux  &  Miller.  They  bought  a  stock  of 
goods  at  807  Grove  street  and  carried  on 
both  stores  until  the  partnership  was  dis- 
solved, Mr.  Miller  taking  the  store  on  Grove 
street  and  our  subject  the  one  down  town 
on  Front  street,  at  the  corner  of  Prairie. 
This  he  carried  on  alone  until  he  closed  out 
the  business  and  built  a  gristmill  on  South 
Center  street,  which  was  first  run  by  steam 
and  later  by  electricity.  He  secured  a  large 
custom  trade  and  did  a  good  business  until 
January,  1898,  when  on  account  of  his 
health  he  sold  out  and  has  since  lived 
retired. 

On  first  coming  to  Bloomington,  Mr. 
Maddux  lived  in  rented  property,  but  later 
owned  a  home  on  the  corner  of  Front  and 
Clinton  streets,  and  after  that  at  No.  607 
Jackson  street.  He  then  bought  five  lots 
on  Buchanan  street,  which  at  that  time 
was  all  wood  and  pasture  land  on  the  hill, 
and  erected  thereon  his  present  comfortable 
residence  at  No.  710,  where  he  has  made 
his  home  since  1871.  He  also  owns  other 
real  estate  in  different  parts  of  the  city.  He 
has  been  a  prominent  member  of  Remem- 
brance Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F. ,  for  over  twenty 
years  and  is  past  grand  of  the  same,  and 
for  many  years  he  and  his  wife  have  at- 
tended and  supported  the  Christian  church. 
Politically,  his  father  was  first  a  Whig  and 
later  a  Republican,  and  our  subject  has 
always  been  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  latter 
party.      In    1876   he  was  elected  alderman 


258 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


for  the  fourth  ward  and  so  acceptably  did 
he  fill  the  office  that  he  was  called  upon  to 
serve  in  that  position  for  four  years,  during 
which  time  the  new  city  hall  was  located 
and  built  and  the  water  works  finished.  He 
is  a  public-spirited,  enterprising  citizen  who 
has  the  best  interest  of  the  city  and  county 
at  heart  and  has  done  all  in  his  power  to 
promote  the  public  welfare  along  various 
lines. 


ISAAC  DARST,  a  prominent  and  wealthy 
citizen  of  Bloomington,  now  retired 
from  active  business  cares,  is  one  of  the 
men  who  make  old  age  seem  the  better  por- 
tion of  life.  Youth  has  its  charms,  but  an 
honorable  and  honored  old  age,  to  which 
the  lengthening  years  had  added  dignity  a;id,' 
sweetness,  has  a  brighter  radiance,  as  if 
some  ray  from  the  life  beyond  already 
rested  upon  it. 

Mr.  Darst  was  born  in  Miami  county, 
Ohio,  April  25,  1822,  a  son  of  Isaac  and 
Jane  (Morgan)  Darst,  who  were  natives  of 
Virginia  and  Tennessee,  respectively,  and 
pioneers  of  Ohio,  where  their  marriage  was 
celebrated.  In  Miami  township,  Miami 
county,  the  father  cleared  and  improved 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  and 
continued  to  engage  in  its  cultivation  until 
called  from  this  life  at  the  age  of  forty-five 
years.  He  was  a  thoroughly  good  and 
great  man,  was  one  of  the  early  Dunkard 
preachers  in  his  section  and  helped  to  found 
the  church  there.  He  had  four  brothers, 
Jacob,  Isaac,  John  and  Abram,  who  also 
settled  in  Miami  county  and  Isaac  and  John 
were  prominent  members  of  the  same 
church,  while  Jacob  belonged  to  the  Chris- 
tian church  and  Abram  was  a  member 
of  the   Presbyterian    church.      Our  subject 


was  only  nine  years  old  when  his  father 
died,  leaving  the  mother  with  the  care  of 
nine  children,  whom  she  carefully  reared. 
She  kept  them  together  and  spun  and  made 
their  clothes  until  all  were  grown.  She 
continued  to  reside  upon  the  old  home  farm 
in  Ohio  for  many  years,  but  finally  sold 
that  place  and  came  to  Bloomington,  Illi- 
nois, where  she  died  in  1S73.  Her  father, 
Charles  Morgan,  made  his  home  in  Tennes- 
see in  early  life.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  his  wife  was  near 
enough  to  the  scene  of  action  to  hear  the 
cannon  during  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

Mr.  Darst,  whose  name  introduces  this 
sketch,  was  reared  in  his  native  state  and 
during  his  boyhood  pursued  his  studies  in  a 
log  school-house  from  twelve  to  sixteen 
weeks  in  the  winter.  He  spent  some  time 
with  his  uncle.  Merle  Morgan,  who  taught 
him  the  blacksmith's  trade,  at  which  he 
worked  until  after  his  marriage.  On  the 
1st  of  April,  1845,  he  wedded  Miss  Matilda 
Decker,  a  daughter  of  Jabob  and  Mary 
(Meyer)  Decker.  The  father  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  but  when  a  small  child  re- 
moved to  Athens  county,  Ohio,  with  his 
father.  Brewer  Decker,  who  was  of  old 
Pennsylvania  stock.  He  bought  land  in 
Athens  county,  where  they  continued  to 
make  their  home  throughout  the  remainder 
of  their  lives.  There  Mrs.  Darst's  father 
grew  to  manhood  and  followed  farming  as  a 
life  work,  owning  and  operating  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  acres  in  Athens  county.  He 
died  there  and  his  wife,  who  was  a  native  of 
Columbus,  Ohio,  passed  away  in  1826,  when 
Mrs.  Darstwas  only  nine  years  old.  Both 
were  faithful  members  of  the  Baptist 
church. 

In  1847,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Darst  came  to 
Illinois  in  a  big  old    Pennsylvania   wagon 


_^H£   NEW    rui'K 

'PUBLIC  LIBI7ARY 


ITILDENF..,! 


lONK  i 


ISAAC  DARST. 


MRS.   ISAAC  DARST. 


THE  NlVV   Vu!  !< 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR.  t-ENOX 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


263 


drawn  by  three  horses,  and  would  camp  out 
at  night  along  the  way.  During  the  entire 
journey  the  wife  was  ill  and  would  lie  awake 
nights  and  cry.  Mr.  Darst  offered  to  turn 
back,  but  she  would  not  consent.  Finally 
they  reached  Pulaski,  Logan  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  opened  a  blacksmith  shop, 
beginning  business  there  on  a  capital  of  fifty 
dollars,  but  they  had  brought  enough  pro- 
visions with  them  to  last  for  some  time,  and 
he  traded  his  gun  for  a  cow.  In  the  fall  of 
1850  they  came  to  McLean  county  and  he 
bought  eighty  acres  of  school  land  in  Dale 
township,  which  after  paying  for  he  sold  at 
fifty  dollars  per  acre  during  the  war.  He 
then  bought  eighty  acres  in  Dry  .Grove 
township,  which  he  improved  and  finally 
sold  to  Colonel  Gridley.  His  next,  pur-' 
chase  was  the  Squire  Pease  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  nine  acres  in  Dale  township, 
on  which  he  erected  a  good  residence, 
put  in  many  rods  of  tiling,  and  made 
many  other  improvements  until  it  was  in 
first  class  condition.  Selling  that  place  for 
over  nine  thousand  dollars,  he  bought  what 
was  known  as  the  Valentine  farm,  formerly 
owned  by  Daniel  Kent.  It  comprises  sev- 
enty-four acres  on  the  railroad  at  Spring 
Grove  station,  which  he  improved  by  the 
erection  of  a  house,  and  finally  sold  at  a 
profit.  During  all  these  years  he  success- 
fully engaged  in  general  farming,  but  since 
1894  has  lived  retired  in  Bloomington,  hav- 
ing purchased  a  home  at  No.  1406  North 
East  street.  He  has  made  other  invest- 
ments in  the  city,  and  in  all  his  undertak- 
ings has  met    with  well  deserved  success. 

Politically  Mr.  Darst  was  originally  a 
Whig,  and  now  gives  his  support  to  the 
Republican  party.  While  living  in  the 
county  he  served  as  road  commissioner  and 
school  director,  but  has    never    cared  for 


official  honors.  He  and  his  estimable  wife 
are  sincere  and  faithful  members  of  the 
Christian  church  and  their  lives  have  ever 
been  in  harmony  with  their  professions. 
Mr.  Darst  was  the  first  to  encourage  the 
Deaconess  Hospital,  and  it  was  his  money 
that  bought  the  ground  on  which  the  build- 
ing now  stands,  and  which  will  eventually 
revert  to  the  hospital.  It  is  worth  five 
thousand  dollars.  His  life  has  been  manly, 
his  actions  sincere,  his  manner  unaffected 
and  his  example  is  well  worthy  of  emula- 
tion by  the  young.  He  has  ever  supported 
those  interests  which  are  calculated  to  up- 
lift and  benefit  humanity,  while  his  own 
high  moral  worth  is  deserving  of  the  highest 
commendation. 


n 


M"-:; 


ILTON  HENLINE,  who  is  the  owner 
of  a  fine  farm  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  and  which  comprises  the  east 
half  of  section  i,  Towanda  township,  is  a 
native  of  McLean  county  and  comes  of  a 
well-known  pioneer  family,  whose  history  is 
prominently  identified  with  that  of  the 
county.  He  was  born  in  Lexington  town- 
ship, February  13,  1843,  and  is  the  son  of 
James  J.  and  Sarah  (Smith)  Henline,  the 
father  being  a  native  of  Boone  county,  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  was  born  in  18 15.  He 
came  to  McLean  county  in  1828,  a  lad  of 
thirteen  years,  in  company  with  his  parents, 
John  and  Polly  (Darnell)  Henline,  who 
located  in  Lawndale  township,  which  was 
their  home  during  the  remainder  of  their 
lives,  the  mother  dying  February  12,  1883. 
In  the  family  of  John  and  Polly  Henline 
were  the  following  named  children:  China, 
who  married  William  Burt,  and  removed 
with  him  to  Tazewell  county,  where  his 
death  occurred;  George,  who  lived  and  died 


264 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


in  McLean  county;  John,  who  removed  to 
Kansas,  where  he  died;  Martin,  who  also 
removed  to  Kansas;  William  B.,  who  re- 
mained in  McLean  county,  and  died  in  Sep- 
tember, 1898;  James  J.,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  who  is  still  living  in  Lawndale 
township;  and  David,  who  died  in  Lexing- 
ton township. 

Sarah  (Smith)   Henline,  who  is  a  sister 
of  Shelton   Smith,    of  Lexington,  came   to 
this  county  about  1834,  and   by  her  union 
with   James  J.    Henline    she    became    the 
mother  of    eleven   children,  nine  of  whom 
yet  survive:  Lucinda,  wife  of  C.  C.  White- 
lock,    of  Manhattan,    Kansas;    Milton,    the 
subject  of  this  sketch;  William  R.,  a  farmer 
of  Seward,    Kansas;  Shelton,    a  farmer  of 
Plumbwood,    Ohio;    Sarah,    who    died     in 
childhood;  Melissa,  wife  of  Joseph  A.  Wiley, 
of  Kearney,  Nebraska;  Addison,  of  Orleans, 
Nebraska;  Ira  F. ,   of  Kearney,    Nebraska; 
Robert,   who  resides  with  his   parents;   and 
Etta,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twelve  years. 
Upon  the  old  homestead   in   Lexington 
township  our  subject  grew  to  manhood,  his 
boyhood   and    youth    being  spent  much  as 
that  of  other   farmer   boys.      He   attended 
the  country  schools  and  later  entered  Wes- 
leyan  University,    where  he  completed  his 
school    life.      On    leaving  the  university  he 
assisted  his  father  in  carrying  on  the  home 
farm  until  1866.      At  Bloomington,  Illinois, 
March   22,    1866,    he   was   united    in    mar- 
riage    with     Miss     Irene     R.     Willhoite, 
daughter  of  Alexander  I.  and   Sarah   (Gos- 
sett)  Willhoite.      She   was    born    in  Owen 
county,    Kentucky,    October   30,  1845,   her 
parents  being  likewise   natives  of  the  same 
state.     The  family  came  to  McLean  county 
when  she   was   but   five   years   of  age,  and 
here  she   grew    to    womanhood.      She    was 
the  seventh  in  a  family  of  twelve  children, 


as  follows:  Dr.  William  H.,  who  died  in 
Kansas  in  February,  1898;  Mary  J.,  wife  of 
William  Hemstreet,  of  Cass  county,  Mis- 
souri; Felicia,  wife  of  W.  H.  Lane,  of  Cass 
county,  Missouri;  Samuel,  of  Paola,  Kan- 
sas; Irene,  wife  of  our  subject;  Caroline  E., 
who  died  in  infancy;  Lucy  B.,  widow  of 
Belden  Russell,  of  Paola,  Kansas;  Mar- 
garet, who  died  May  28,  1870,  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  years;  Lycurgus  G. ,  of  Cass 
county,  Missouri;  Socrates,  of  Cass  county, 
Missouri;  Donna,  wife  of  Asa  McDaniel,  of 
Pendleton,  Oregon;  and  Eusebia,  wife  of 
James  T.  Glass,  of  Holden,  Missouri.  In 
1868  Mr.  Willhoite,  with  his  family,  started 
to  Vernon  county,  Missouri.  While  eti- 
roiitc  he  contracted  smallpox,  and  died  be- 
fore the  family  were  located  in  their  new 
home. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henline  twelve  chil- 
dren have  been  born:  Carrie,  born  Febru- 
ary 13,  1867;  James  I.,  September  20, 
1868;  Claude  D.,  May  i,  1870;  Alvin,  May 
27,  1872;  Buell,  February  15,  1874;  Ellis, 
January  4,  1876;  Ada  E.,  January  8,  1878; 
Garfield,  March  23,  1880;  Alma,  April  26, 
1882;  Mabel,  June  10,  1884;  Milton  Cecil, 
February  26,  1887;  Leslie  R. ,  January  5, 
1890.  Alvin,  who  is  engaged  in  farming  in 
Money  Creek  township,  was  married  De- 
cember 12,  1894,  to  Miss  Alpha  Zurkle,  a 
native  of  Virginia,  and  daughter  of  David 
P.  Zurkle,  and  they  have  three  children: 
Russell,  I.  C.  and  Wendell  Z. 

In  1866  Mr.  Henline  made  his  first  pur- 
chase of  land,  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  his  present  farm,  and  in  1882  purchased 
the  remainder  of  his  half-section,  which  is 
as  fine  a  body  of  land  as  there  is  in  the 
county.  He  has  followed  an  intelligent 
system  of  mixed  farming  and  stock-raising, 
feeding  continually  on  his  place  what  grain 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


265 


he  raises.  His  place  is  well  improved  with 
commodious  dwelling,  good  outbuildings, 
and  all  have  been  erected  by  himself.  He 
is  a  thorough  farmer  and  a  well-informed 
man  on  the  general  issues  of  the  day.  After 
leaving  school  and  before  settling  down  on 
his  farm,  it  may  here  be  remarked  that  he 
engaged  in  teaching  for  a  time,  in  which 
line  he  showed  an  aptitude  that  would  in 
time  have  placed  him  in  the  front  rank  of 
teachers,  if  he  had  chosen  to  follow  teach- 
ing as  a  profession. 

In  politics  Mr.  Henline  has  departed 
from  the  traditions  of  his  fathers  and  has 
always  supported  the  Republican  party, 
casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  in  1864.  He  has  always 
taken  a  commendable  interest  in  local 
affairs;  especially  in  educational  matters 
has  he  been  active,  having  served  for  some 
twelve  or  fifteen  years  as  school  director  or 
trustee.  He  has  also  filled  the  office  of 
road  commissioner,  but  has  never  cared  to 
give  his  time  to  the  cares  of  office,  espe- 
cially as  he  knows  that  there  are  many  who 
do  desire  official  distinction.  He  is  an 
active  and  official  member  of  the  Christian 
church  of  Cooksville,  and  for  some  years 
has  been  an  elder.  His  wife  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  that  church.  Socially,  he  is  held  in 
the  highest  esteem,  being  one  of  those  lib- 
eral and  enterprising  citizens  who  have 
made  a  success  in  life,  and  by  his  genial 
disposition  has  made  a  host  of  friends. 


AUGUSTUS  G.  WOLFE.  The  story  of 
the  founders  of  this  nation  and  of  the 
Revolutionary  forefathers  is  interesting,  not 
only  from  a  historical  standpoint,  but  also 
as  a  source  of  inspiration  and  encourage- 
ment to  others.     Yet  we  need  not.  look  to 


the  past;  the  present  furnishes  many  ex- 
amples worthy  of  emulation  in  the  men 
who  have  risen  through  their  own  efforts  to 
positions  of  prominence  and  importance  in 
professional,  political  and  business  circles. 
To  this  class  belongs  Augustus  G.  Wolfe,  a 
well-known  real  estate  dealer  of  Blooming- 
ton. 

He  was  born  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  October 
II,  1835,  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Theresa 
(Daugherty)  Wolfe.  The  father  was  also  a 
native  of  Ohio,  but  the  paternal  grand- 
father, John  Wolfe,  was  born  in  Germany, 
and  on  his  emigration  to  the  United  States 
located  in  Pennsylvania,  whence  he  later 
removed  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  there  spent 
his  last  days.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion and  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812. 
The  father  of  our  subject  moved  to  Carroll 
county,  Indiana,  in  November,  1836,  and 
settled  at  Delphi,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Wabash  river,  where  he  took  up  a  large 
tract  of  new  land  and  transformed  it  into  a 
well-improved  and  productive  farm.  He 
was  one  of  the  leading  and  influential  citi- 
zens of  that  locality  and  was  honored  with 
a  number  of  county  offices,  the  duties  of 
which  he  most  capably  discharged.  He 
died  in  1848,  leaving  his  young  wife  with 
the  care  of  seven  children.  She  continued 
to  reside  upon  the  home  farm  until  she, 
too,  was  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1879. 
She  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  a  most  estimable  lady. 
At  her  death  she  left  three  children  who 
are  still  living,  namely:  John  F. ,  a  resident 
of  Flora,  Indiana;  Augustus  G.,  our  sub- 
ject; and  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Dosch,  of  Frank- 
fort, Indiana. 

Augustus  G.  Wolfe  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Delphi,  and  his  business  training 
was  obtained  as  a  clerk  in  a  store  at  that 


266 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


place  when  he  was  a  mere  lad.  After  at- 
taining his  majority  he  spent  two  years  in 
travel,  and  then  returned  to  his  native 
place,  where  he  was  married,  May  lo, 
1859,  to  Miss  Martha  E.  Davidson,  a 
native  of  Xenia,  Ohio,  and  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Eliza  (Andrew)  Davidson,  the 
former  a  business  man  and  stockdealer  of 
that  place.  One  child  was  born  of  this 
union,  Edith  F. ,  now  the  wife  of  M.  L. 
Maddux,  who  is  on  the  police  force  of 
Bloomington,  and  by  whom  she  has  one 
child,  Etta  Brush. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Wolfe  em- 
barked in  business  on  his  own  account  at 
Delphi,  where  he  conducted  a  general  store 
and  received  a  liberal  patronage  for  many 
miles  throughout  the  surrounding  country. 
His  place  of  business  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1870,  but  he  promptly  rebuilt  and  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  operations  at  that  place 
until  1873.  He  served  as  postmaster  of 
Pittsburg,  Indiana,  for  seven  or  eight  years 
to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned. 
On  disposing  of  his  business  in  Delphi  in 
1873,  he  came  to  Bloomington,  Illinois, 
and  commenced  buying  and  shipping  stock, 
which  proved  a  profitable  business,  and  he 
became  one  of  the  most  extensive  dealers  of 
the  kind  in  the  city.  It  was  not  long  ere 
he  had  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances throughout  the  county  as  his  busi- 
ness made  him  widely  known.  In  1895  he 
discontinued  stock  dealing  and  has  since 
engaged  in  the  real  estate  business,  handling 
principally  Indiana  lands,  and  in  1898  sold 
over  four  thousand  acres  in  that  state.  He 
has  also  handled  a  large  amount  of  city  real 
estate,  and  in  this  as  in  his  other  business 
ventures,  he  has  met  with  remarkable  suc- 
cess. He  is  quite  prominent  in  business 
circles  as  a  man  of  the  utmost  reliability. 


and  the  success  that  he  has  achieved  in  life 
is  certain  justly  merited.  Since  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Republican  party  in  1856,  he 
has  never  failed  to  cast  his  ballot  for  its 
presidential  candidates,  and  has  always 
taken  a  deep  and  commendable  interest  in 
public  affairs.  He  attends  the  Presbyte- 
rian church,  of  which  his  wife  and  daughter 
are  members. 


ANDREW  JACKSON  KERBAUGH,  one 
of  the  most  highly-educated  and  enter- 
prising agriculturists  of  McLean  county,  is 
the  owner  of  a  valuable  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred and  ninety  acres  in  Allin  township,  and 
his  management  of  the  estate  is  marked  by 
the  scientific  knowledge  and  skill  which 
characterize  the  modern  farmer.  He  was 
born  November  17,  1852,  in  Greenville, 
Greene  county,  Tennessee,  a  son  of  Henry 
M.  and  Margaret  (Davis)  Kerbaugh,  also 
natives  of  Greenville  and  representatives  of 
prominent  old  southern  families.  The 
father,  who  was  born  in  1822,  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock  raising  in  his  native  state 
and  continued  to  follow  those  occupations 
after  coming  to  McLean  county,  Illinois,  in 
1 85 1.  At  first  he  rented  a  farm  in  Allin 
township,  but  meeting  with  success  in  his 
new  home,  he  was  soon  able  to  purchase  a 
place,  which  he  did  in  1859.  In  his  family 
were  seven  children,  of  whom  Andrew  J.  is 
the  fourth  in  order  of  birth,  and  five  of  the 
number  are  still  living. 

Our  subject  was  only  a  year  old  when 
brought  by  his  parents  to  McLean  county, 
and  in  Allin  township  he  has  since  made  his 
home.  His  preliminary  education  was  ob- 
tained in  the  public  schools,  which  he  at- 
tended until  1872,  and  then  entered  Licoln 
University,    taking  an    elective    course    for 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


267 


three  years.  On  leaving  that  institution  in 
1875  he  commenced  teaching  in  the  district 
schools,  and  after  being  thus  employed  for 
two  years,  he  was  principal  of  the  Stanford 
schools  for  one  year.  In  1878  he  purchased 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  the  operation  of 
which  he  superintended  while  teaching  in 
Stanford,  and  then  located  thereon,  having 
purchased  it  under  circumstances  which 
necessitated  personal  supervision  in  order 
that  he  might  cancel  the  note  give  by  him 
for  five  years  at  ten  per  cent  for  the  whole 
amount.  By  hard  work,  close  economy  and 
good  management,  he  had  his  farm  paid  for 
at  the  end  of  that  time,  had  stocked  it,  and 
had  eleven  hundred  dollars  left.  He  had 
also  laid  many  rods  of  tiling,  so  that  it  was 
in  much  better  shape  to  yield  good  returns 
for  his  labor.  He  has  continued  to  prosper 
and  as  his  financial  resources  have  in- 
creased, he  has  added  to  his  farm  from  time 
to  time  until  now  he  has  two  hundred  and 
ninety  acres,  it  being  one  of  the  most  val- 
uable pieces  of  property  near  Stanford. 
It  is  all  under  excellent  cultivation  and  well 
improved. 

On  the  24th  of  September,  1887,  in 
Chetopa,  Kansas,  Mr.  Kerbaugh  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Belle  Johnson,  a 
daughter  of  Pembrook  and  Elizabeth  M. 
Johnson,  now  deceased,  who  were  early 
settlers  of  Illinois.  Mr.  Kerbaugh  brought 
his  bride  to  the  home  he  had  prepared  for 
her  and  with  her  able  assistance  has  made 
it  a  most  comfortable  and  pleasant  place. 
To  them  has  been  born  one  son,  Leland 
Park,  who  is  now  attending  school.  The 
parents  are  both  sincere  and  faithful  mem- 
bers of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church  and  are  held  in  high  regard  by  all 
who  know  them.  For  twelve  years  Mr. 
Kerbaugh    has  most     efficiently    served    as 


trustee  of  his  township,  and  has  also  filled 
the  office  of  school  director  two  years.  He 
does  not  belong  to  any  lodge  or  secret  so- 
ciety, preferring  to  spend  his  evenings  with 
his  family.  As  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser 
he  has  met  with  well-merited  success,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  three  men  has 
planted  two  hundred  acres  of  corn  and 
seeded  to  oats  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight  acres  in  five  weeks'  time.  He  is  very 
progressive  and  public-spirited,  and  is  a 
man  of  refined  and  cultured  taste,  who 
gives  his  support  to  all  measures  calculated 
to  advance  the  moral,  educational  or  ma- 
terial welfare  of  his  township  or  county. 


BERT  MARLEY  KUHN.  Few  men  are 
more  prominent  or  more  widely  known 
in  the  enterprising  city  of  Bloomington 
than  Mr.  Kuhn.  He  has  been  an  impor- 
tant factor  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  city  for 
a  number  of  years,  and  his  popularity  is 
well  deserved,  as  in  him  are  embraced  the 
characteristics  of  an  unbending  integrity, 
unabating  energy  and  industry  that  never 
flags.  He  is  public-spirited  and  thoroughly 
interested  in  whatever  tends  to  promote 
the  moral,  intellectual  and  material  welfare 
of  the  city,  and  his  labors  along  those  lines 
have  been  most  effective.  He  possesses  a 
depth  of  character  and  fidelity  to  principle 
which  everywhere  command  respect,  and 
Bloomington  accounts  him  one  of  her  most 
representative  citizens  and  honored  men. 

A  native  of  Red  Wing,  Minnesota,  he 
was  born  on  the  i6th  day  of  April,  1858, 
and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  A.  Kuhn,  who  has 
been  prominently  connected  with  the  edu- 
cational and  commercial  interests  of  Mc- 
Lean county,  but  is  now  living  retired. 
When  only  a  year  old  Bert  M.    Kuhn  was 


268 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


taken  by  his  parents  to  Hudson,  Illinois, 
where  he  attended  the  public  schools.  He 
further  continued  his  studies  ip  Tonica  and 
the  public  schools  of  Normal,  Illinois, 
where  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1879, 
and  then  engaged  in  teaching  in  Yuton, 
McLean  county,  for  a  year.  On  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  went  upon  the 
road  to  introduce  a  system  of  dress  cutting, 
of  which  he  is  the  patentee.  For  three 
years  he  traveled  and  the  e.xcellence  of  the 
system  secured  its  ready  adoption,  making 
it  very  popular.  It  is  called  the  Climax 
Tailor  System,  and  has  become  widely 
known  throughout  the  country,  being  now 
in  use  by  over  three  hundred  thousand 
dressmakers,  which  number  is  constantly 
increasing.  It  is  still  being  manufactured 
and  sold  by  Mr.  Kuhn,  but  in  the  business 
he  is  now  represented  on  the  road  by  a 
number  of  traveling  salesmen,  who  find  this 
a  most  salable  article.  From  the  begin- 
ning the  enterprise  proved  a  profitable  one, 
and  gave  to  Mr.  Kuhn  his  first  real  start  in 
business  life. 

After  accumulating  some  capital  in  this 
way,  he  began  making  investments  in  real 
estate  and  since  that  time  has  handled  a 
large  amount  of  property.  When  he  saw 
a  house,  lot,  farm  or  other  realty  offered 
for  sale  at  favorable  terms  he  would  pur- 
chase it  and  hold  it  until  he  could  dispose 
of  it  to  good  advantage.  In  this  way  he  has 
handled  a  large  amount  of  farm  and  city 
property,  his  sales  equaling  if  not  exceeding 
those  of  any  regularly  established  real-estate 
dealer  of  Bloomington.  He  now  has  on 
hand  a  number  of  farms  and  office  build- 
ings, buying  lands  from  Indiana  to  Nebraska. 
He  is  considered  one  of  the  best  judges  of 
real  estate  values  in  this  part  of  the  state, 
and  his  correct   knowledge   of  property  has 


enabled  him  to  invest  most  judiciously  and 
acquire  therefrom  a  handsome  fortune.  Nor 
have  his  efforts  been  confined  alone  to  the 
two  lines  of  business  mentioned.  He  is  a 
man  of  resourceful  ability  and  marked  exec- 
utive power,  and  has  handled  wisely  and 
well  many  investments.  He  has  been  a 
stockholder  in  a  number  of  important  cor- 
porations, at  one  time  had  a  half  interest  in 
the  Lincoln  street  railway,  and  later  was 
the  sole  owner,  but  afterward  disposed  of 
the  road.  He  was  one  of  the  promoters  of 
the  new  Coliseum  recently  erected  and  a 
member  of  its  directorate.  He  has  erected 
from  five  to  ten  residences  annually  in 
Bloomington  and  has  thus  materially  ad- 
vanced the  interests  of  the  city,  as  well  as 
furnished  employment  to  a  large  force  of 
workmen. 

But  while  actively  engaged  in  extensive 
business  enterprises  Mr.  Kuhn  has  also 
found  time  to  assist  his  fellow  men  and  has 
been  a  potent  factor  in  the  advancement  of 
many  benevolent  enterprises  of  the  city. 
He  is  thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  the  un- 
derlying beneficent  principles  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity  and  holds  membership  in  the 
lodge,  chapter  and  council  of  Bloomington. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
the  Deaconess'  Hospital  and  has  been 
largely  instrumental  in  promoting  the  bene- 
ficent work  from  the  time  of  its  inaugura- 
tion to  the  present.  In  his  political  affilia- 
tions he  has  always  been  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican and  has  taken  a  leading  part  in  cam- 
paign and  committee  work,  doing  all  in  his 
power  to  promote  the  cause  which  he  be- 
lieves will  best  advance  the  welfare  of  the 
nation.  He  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Tanner  to  the  responsible  position  of  treas- 
urer of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  at 
Normal,    in    May,   1S96,    and   now    has   the 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


269 


handling   of    about    seventy-five    thousand 
dollars  annually  for  that  institution. 

On  the  7th  of  June,  1883,  Mr.  Kuhn  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice  E.  Squier, 
of  Calhoun  county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of 
Ashur  G.  Squier,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  that 
part  of  the  state.  He  was  a  leading,  in- 
fluential and  successful  farmer  and  a  prom- 
inent Republican.  Mrs.  Kuhn  was  educated 
in  the  Normal  University,  and  by  her  mar- 
riage has  three  children,  Louis  S.,  Waldo 
A.  and  Nellie.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kuhn 
hold  membership  in  the  First  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  of  Bloomington,  in  which 
he  is  serving  as  steward  and  a  member  of 
the  official  board.  The  air  of  culture  and 
refinement  which  pervades  their  home  makes 
it  very  attractive  to  Bloomington's  best  citi- 
zens, many  of  whom  are  numbered  among 
their  warm  friends.  Mr.  Kuhn,  in  conse- 
quence of  his  more  active  life,  is  especially 
widely  known.  He  is  a  man  of  broad  capa- 
bilities, as  his  varied  and  extensive  busi- 
ness interests  indicate.  He  is  at  all  times 
approachable  and  patiently  listens  to  what- 
ever a  caller  may  have  to  say,  always  courte- 
ous and  at  all  times  a  gentleman  in  the 
truest  and  best  sense  of  the  term.  He  is 
devoted  to  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  his 
family  and  cares  not  for  notoriety,  nor  is 
there  about  him  the  least  shadow  of  mock 
modesty.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  fine  ad- 
dress and  thorough  culture,  occupying  a 
first  place  in  society  as  well  as  in  the  com- 
mercial circles  of  northern  Illinois. 


JONATHAN  B.  WARLOW,  a  pioneer 
and  resident  of  McLean  county  for 
more  than  fifty  years,  but  now  residing 
in  Fresno  county,  California,  was  born 
in   Northampton,    Massachusetts,   June  27, 


1 8 14,  and  is  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Betsy 
(Bond)  Warlow,  the  former  a  native  of 
New  York,  and  the  latter  born  about  six 
miles  from  Boston,  Massachusetts,  Novem- 
ber 25,  1785.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Jonathan  and  Sally  (Grossman)  Bond,  her 
father  being  born  April  30,  1750,  and  her 
mother,  July  20,  1773.  They  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  Betsy 
was  seventh  in  order  of  birth.  Jonathan 
Bond  served  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution 
in  a  Massachusetts  regiment,  and  our  sub- 
ject has  the  powder  horn  which  he  carried 
through  the  entire  war.  It  has  his  initials 
on  it.  For  some  years  he  was  engaged  in 
teaming  between  Leicester  and  Boston. 
He  died  July  26,  1810,  of  lockjaw,  caused 
by  a  wagon  passing  over  his  foot.  His 
wife  died  September  28,  1822. 

Benjamin  Warlow  was  born  February 
21,  1785,  and  in  his  youth  learned  the  trade 
of  bootmaker,  serving  an  apprenticeship 
of  seven  years  and  six  months.  After  com- 
pleting his  term  of  apprenticeship,  he  went 
to  sea,  and  for  two  years  was  in  the  service 
on  a  man-of-war,  during  the  war  of  1812, 
having  been  drafted.  He  was  stationed  at 
Quebec.  Having  enough  of  sea  life,  he 
returned  to  Boston,  and  commenced  working 
at  his  trade  again.  He  there  met  and  mar- 
ried Betsy  Bond,  and  soon  after  they  moved 
to  Northampton,  Massachsetts,  where  they 
resided  until  18 16.  From  Northampton, 
they  moved  to  Oneida  county.  New  York, 
and  for  the  succeeding  five  years  he  was  en- 
gaged at  his  trade.  He  then  tried  farming 
in  that  locality,  where  he  resided  until 
1832,  and  then  moved  to  Pickaway  county, 
Ohio.  He  remained  in  that  place,  how- 
ever, but  two  years,  and  on  the  loth  of 
October,  1834,  he  arrived  at  Dry  Grove, 
McLean    county,    Illinois.        For    the    sue- 


\7<^ 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ceeding  two  years,  he  rented  land  of  our 
subject's  uncle,  Joshua  Bond,  and  then  en- 
tered eighty  acres  and  at  once  commenced 
its  improvement.  On  that  farm  he  con- 
tinued the  rest  of  his  days,  in  the  meantime 
acquiring  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  ad- 
ditional, giving  him  a  fine  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres.  To  Benjamin  and 
Betsy  Warlow  eight  children  were  born, 
two  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Those  who 
lived  to  maturity  were  Jonathan  B.,  our 
subject;  William  C,  who  is  living  in  Bloom- 
ington,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years;  Se- 
repta  E.;  Richard  A.,  living  in  Allin  town- 
ship, at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years; 
Lafayette;  and  Bond  W. ,  who  is  living 
near  Wellington,  Kansas,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-two  years.  Benjamin  Warlow  died 
September  8,  1864,  and  his  wife,  February 
24,  1877,  at  the  age   of  eighty-eight  years. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  spent  his 
boyhood  and  youth  in  Oneida  county.  New 
York,  coming  with  his  parents  to  McLean 
county  in  1834.  In  his  youth  he  had  no 
opportunity  for  acquiring  an  education, 
and  after  his  marriage  he  began  to  learn 
to  read  by  himself.  He  soon  devel- 
oped a  taste  for  learning,  and  is  to-day  a 
well-informed  man,  although  self-educated. 
The  first  winter  after  his  arrival  in  McLean 
county,  with  the  help  of  his  brother,  he 
split  rails  for  fencing  the  eighty-acre  tract 
that  his  father  purchased.  With  his  fa- 
ther he  remained  until  twenty-four  years 
old,  assisting  him  in  his  farming  operations. 
He  then  commenced  for  himself,  working 
for  a  time  for  Joseph  Clark. 

On  the  15th  of  November,  1838,  Mr. 
Warlow  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Catherine  Hay,  a  native  of  Hopkinsville, 
Kentucky,  born  January  3,  181 2,  and  daugh- 
ter of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Finley)  Hay,  the 


former  born  May  17,  1770,  and  the  latter 
in  1774,  and  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
of  whom  Catherine  was  seventh  in  order  of 
birth.  Mr.  Hay  was  a  large  slaveholder 
in  Kentucky,  where  his  death  occurred. 
After  his  death  the  slaves  were  liberated 
and  sent  to  Liberia,  and  the  family  came  to 
McLean  county. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Warlow  located 
on  "squatted  land,"  and  rented  a  farm 
which  he  cultivated,  and  in  three  years 
earned  and  saved  money  enough  to  buy  a 
tract  of  forty  acres,  which  was  the  nucleus 
of  his  present  valuable  farm  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres  in  Danvers  township.  He 
has  also  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Allin 
township,  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in 
Reno  county,  Kansas,  and  a  tract  at  Fresno, 
California,  which  is  used  principally  as  a 
vineyard,  but  on  which  he  raises  peaches, 
pears  and  other  fruit. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warlow  eight  children 
were  born.  Elizabeth  B.  married  William 
Skeen,  and  they  reside  in  Reno  county, 
Kansas.  John  W.  died  at  the  age  of  seven 
years.  Mary  M.  married  Jesse  Brinard, 
and  their  home  is  in  Reno  county,  Kansas. 
Susan  E.  died  at  the  age  of  six  months. 
Celia  J.  married  George  L.  Johnson,  and 
with  their  five  children— Clyde,  Ray,  Imo, 
Newton  and  Katie — they  reside  in  Fresno 
county,  California.  Their  son,  Ray,  is  now 
deputy  sheriff  of  Fresno  county.  George 
L.  is  a  lawyer  of  Fresno,  California.  He 
married  Ella  Knowles,  and  they  have  one 
child  living,  Chester,  and  three  deceased. 
Delpha  B.  married  George  B.  Rowell,  and 
they  also  reside  in  Fresno  county,  Califor- 
nia. They  have  one  daughter,  Bernice. 
Ida  K.  is  the  wife  of  Harvey  Abbott,  and 
they  reside  on  the  old  homestead  in  Dan- 
vers township.      Mrs.  Warlow  died  June  21, 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


271 


1885,  and  her  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in 
the  cemetery  at  Danvers.  She  was  a  good 
mother,  a  loving  and  affectionate  wife,  and 
her  death  was  sincerely  mourned,  not  alone 
by  the  bereaved  family,  but  by  many  friends 
who  knew  her  in  this  life. 

Mr.  Warlow  continued  farming  and 
stock-raising  in  Danvers  township  until 
March  15,  1887,  when  he  went  to  Califor- 
nia, and  located  in  Fresno  county.  The 
prime  object  of  his  going  was  for  the  bene- 
fit of  his  health,  which  has  become  impaired. 
Purchasing  twenty  acres  of  unimproved 
land,  at  fifty  dollars  per  acre,  he  commenced 
its  improvement  by  planting  a  vineyard,  and 
setting  out  about  one  thousand  fruit  trees, 
consisting  of  nectarines,  peaches,  pears  and 
apricots,  and  has  now  one  of  the  finest  fruit 
farms  in  that  section  of  the  country.  He 
makes  his  home  in  Easton,  California,  about 
one  mile  from  his  farm,  and  about  six  miles 
from  Fresno,  where  he  endeavors  to  take 
life  easy,  enjoying  its  comforts  as  best  he 
may. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Warlow  has  always 
been  a  Democrat,  but  his  sympathies  are 
with  the  present  administration  on  the 
money  question.  Feeling  the  want  of  an 
education  himself,  he  has  always  taken  a 
deep  interest  in  the  public  schools,  and  for 
some  years  served  as  school  director,  and 
for  many  years  was  a  school  trustee.  On 
his  farm  in  Danvers  township,  and  also  on 
the  one  in  Allin  township,  a  school  house 
has  been  built. 

Mr.  Warlow  has  been  quite  successful 
in  life,  and  in  addition  to  his  landed  in- 
terests, he  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Peoples 
Bank,  of  Fresno,  California,  and  has  an 
interest  in  a  packing  house  in  Easton, 
California.  In  every  sense  of  the  word  he 
is    a  selfmade    man.     Without    education, 

14 


only  as  acquired  in  the  school  of  experience, 
without  money  or  influential  friends,  he 
has  been  enabled  to  lay  by  in  store  a  com- 
fortable competency  to  serve  in  old  age. 
His  children  are  all  comfortably  situated, 
and  the  world  is  the  better  for  his  having 
lived. 


JACOB  A.  KUHN,  who  after  an  active 
and  honorable  business  career  is  now 
living  a  retired  life  in  Normal,  was  born  in 
Martick  township,  Lancaster  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, July  19,  1832,  a  son  of  Abraham 
and  Barbara  (Hart)  Kuhn.  His  father  was 
a  native  of  the  same  township,  born  Janu- 
ary 24,  1792,  and  there  the  grandfather, 
Frederick  Kuhn,  took  up  his  residence  at  an 
early  day.  Abraham  Kuhn  learned  the 
weaver's  trade  in  his  youth,  and  after  arriv- 
ing at  years  of  maturity  he  was  married, 
December  30,  18 19,  to  Barbara,  daughter 
of  Valentine  Hart,  also  a  resident  of  Lan- 
caster county.  Mrs.  Kuhn  was  born  in 
Martick  township,  January  31,  1798,  and  by 
her  marriage  became  the  mother  of  five  chil- 
dren. Her  husband  died  March  25,  1833, 
after  which  she  removed  with  her  little  ones 
to  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  where  she  made  a 
home  for  them,  residing  there  for  many 
years.  After  the  year  1855,  her  children 
having  become  old  enough  to  care  for  them- 
selves, she  went  to  live  with  them,  and  her 
death  occurred  in  Normal,  February  15, 
1879.  She  was  a  lifelong  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  was  of 
Pennsylvania  Dutch  descent,  her  father  hav- 
ing belonged  to  one  of  the  old  families  of 
that  nationality. 

In  the  common  schools  of  Ohio,  Jacob 
A.  Kuhn  acquired  his  education,  supple- 
mented by  study  in  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  Uni- 


272 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


versity,  at  Delaware,  that  state.  Through 
his  youth  he  assisted  his  mother  in  the  work 
of  the  home  farm,  but  later  entered  upon 
educational  work  and  taught  for  thirty  or 
forty  terms  in  Illinois,  Indiana  and  Minne- 
sota. He  came  to  McLean  county  in  1852 
and  was  successfully  engaged  in  teaching 
near  Danvers  and  other  places.  He  was 
married  in  1855,  and  the  following  year  re- 
moved to  Pine  Island,  Minnesota,  where  he 
conducted  a  private  school.  He  also  located 
a  claim  a  half  mile  south  of  the  town,  and 
for  three  years  followed  the  dual  occupation 
of  teaching  and  farming.  After  one  winter 
spent  in  Iowa,  he  spent  a  short  time  in  Hud- 
son, Illinois,  and  then  went  to  Tonica,  where 
he  carried  on  carpentering  in  connection 
with  his  educational  labors.  Later,  returning 
to  Hudson,  he  there  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising for  six  years  and  also  served  as  town- 
ship clerk.  He  next  removed  to  Jackson 
county,  Indiana,  where  he  carried  on  farm- 
ing for  three  years,  and  then  took  up  his 
abode  in  Normal,  where  he  has  resided 
almost  continuously  since  1875.  He  has, 
however,  conducted  business  enterprises  at 
various  places.  He  was  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness in  southern  Indiana  and  in  1884  went 
to  Nebraska,  where  he  spent  three  years 
upon  a  claim  of  four  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  of  land.  He  lived  there  alone,  look- 
ing after  the  property  interests  of  himself 
and  son  Bert,  who  together  owned  more 
than  a  section  of  land.  He  made  good  im- 
provements on  the  place  and  finally  sold 
out  at  an  excellent  profit.  On  leaving  Ne- 
braska he  traveled  through  the  south,  intro- 
duing  the  Climax  dress-cutting  system  of 
which  his  son  Bert  is  patentee,  and  then 
returned  to  Normal,  where  he  has  since 
lived  retired,  enjoying  a  rest  which  he  has 
truly  earned  and  richly  deserves.     Here  he 


owns  good  property,  having  a  very  pleasant 
home. 

In  May,  1855,  was  celebrated  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Kuhn  and  Miss  Mary  Denning, 
the  wedding  taking  place  near  what  was 
then  called  Concord,  but  is  now  Danvers, 
McLean  county.  The  lady  was  born  in 
Richland  county,  Ohio,  near  Belleville, 
December  5,  1833,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  B.  Denning,  who  was  born  in  Lan- 
caster county,  Pennsylvania,  March  i,  181 1, 
a  son  of  Solomon  and  Ann  (Hart)  Denning. 
Solomon  Denning  was  a  native  of  the  north 
of  Ireland,  and  when  a  youth  of  twelve 
years  crossed  the  Atlantic  with  his  father, 
Samuel  Denning,  and  settled  in  Virginia, 
whence  the  son  afterward  removed  to  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  followed  the  shoemaker's 
trade.  He  there  married  Ann  Hart,  a 
daughter  of  Valentine  Hart.  He  spent  his 
entire  life  there  and  died  in  Columbia  when 
his  son  Samuel  was  only  three  years  old. 
His  wife  also  died  a  few  years  later.  Sam- 
uel Denning  then  went  to  live  with  an  aunt, 
and  after  two  years  went  to  the  home  of 
his  grandfather,  who  died  when  the  boy  was 
only  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  then 
started  out  in  life  for  himself,  learned  the 
weaver's  trade  and  followed  that  and  other 
occupations,  whereby  he  might  earn  an 
honest  living.  He  married  Elizabeth  Alex- 
ander and  her  death  occurred  February  7, 
1833.  He  then  started  westward,  locating 
in  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  and  after  two  years 
he  went  to  Richland  county,  Ohio,  where 
he  entered  a  small  tract  of  land  and  built  a 
house,  which  continued  to  be  his  home  for 
five  years.  In  1841  he  became  a  resident 
of  Hillsboro,  Montgomery  county,  Illinois, 
and  in  1849  came  to  McLean  county,  pur- 
chasing land  south  of  Danvers,  but  selling 
the  property  in  1855.     He  accompanied  his 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


273 


son-in-law  Mr.  Kuhn,  to  Minnesota,  but  re- 
turned in  1859  and  followed  farming  until 
his  retirement  to  private  life.  His  wife  died 
December  14,  1893,  leaving  seven  children. 
He  has  resided  at  the  same  place  in  Nor- 
mal for  twenty-six  years  and  is  one  of  the 
honored  and  venerable  citizens  of  the  com- 
munity. He  has  long  been  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  in  his  political  belief  is  a  Republican. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kuhn  have  also  been 
identified  with  the  Methodist  church 
throughout  their  residence  in  Normal  and 
have  largely  promoted  its  work  and  growth. 
At  one  time  Mr.  Kuhn  was  a  member  of 
Masonic  lodge  at  Tonica,  but  dimitted  and 
became  a  charter  member  of  the  lodge  in 
Hudson,  which,  however,  is  not  now  in  ex- 
istence. From  the  organization  of  the 
party  he  has  been  a  staunch  Republican  in 
politics,  and  at  all  times  is  true  to  his  duties 
of  citizenship  and  to  the  obligations  that 
rest  upon  him  in  public  and  private  life. 
His  life  labors  have  been  crowned  with  a 
degree  of  success.  Dependent  upon  his 
own  exertions  from  an  early  age  he  acquired 
a  liberal  education,  and  in  financial  circles 
made  steady  advancement  until  he  became 
possessed  of  a  comfortable  competence. 
His  name  is  synonymous  with  honorable 
dealing  and  his  life  record  is  unclouded  by 
shadow  of  wrong. 


WILLIAM  A.  PETERSON,  the  well- 
known  and  popular  manager  of  the 
new  Coliseum,  of  Bloomington,  was  born 
in  Springfield,  Illinois,  September  16,  1864, 
a  son  of  Alfred  Peterson,  who  was  born  in 
Stockholm,  Sweden,  and  when  a  boy 
started  for  America  with  his  mother,  sister 
and  two  brothers,  but  the   mother  died  on 


the   voyage   and   was  buried   at  sea.     The 
father  had  died  previous  to   this  time  and 
the  sister  soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  fam- 
ily in  the  new  world.     The  three  brothers, 
Jacob,  Charles  and  Alfred,  located  near  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,   the  father  of  our  subject 
being    at    the    time    only    five    years    old. 
Later  he   learned  the   machinist's  trade  in 
St.  Louis,  where  he  continued  to  make  his 
home   until  during  the  civil  war,  when  in 
1862,    he  removed  to    Springfield,  Illinois, 
where  he  and  one  of  his  brothers  conducted 
a  soda  water  factory  for  a  number  of  years. 
It  was  in  that   city   that    he   married   Miss 
Mary  E.  Carter,  a  daughter  of  William  E. 
Carter,  a  prominent  attorney  of   that  time 
and  an  associate  of  Abraham  Lincoln.     She 
was  born   in  Moravia,   Indiana,  where  her 
ancestors,  who  were  Quakers,  had  located 
at  a  very  early  day  when  the  Indians  were 
far  more  numerous  in  that  region  than  the 
white  settlers.     About   1867,  Alfred  Peter- 
son and  his  brother  came  to   Bloomington 
and   started   a   soda  water    factory    at   the 
corner    of  Mulberry   and   Madison    streets, 
where  they  did  a  large  and  successful  busi- 
ness until  their  property  was  destroyed  by 
fire.      In  this  way  and   through  other  ad- 
verse circumstances,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject lost  the  fortune   he  had   accumulated. 
He  was  a  large-hearted  man  and  his  gener- 
osity amounted  to  almost  a  fault.      He  died 
in  Springfield,  in  1892,  but  his  wife  is  still 
living  and  makes  her  home  in  Bloomington. 
To  them  were  born  four  children :    William 
A.,  our  subject;  Alfred,    who  is  connected 
with  the  Pantagraph;   Lillian,  wife  of  Ben- 
jamin Cohen,  of  Louisville,  Kentucky;  and 
one  who  died  in  infancy. 

During  his  boyhood,  William  A.  Peter- 
son attended  the  public  schools  of  Bloom- 
ington and  also  spent  two  years  and  a  half 


274 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


at  Baker's  Business  College,  from  which  he 
was  graduated.  In  Myer's  mill  on  South 
Cedar  street  he  learned  the  miller's  trade, 
and  there  remained  two  years,  after  which 
he  worked  in  the  big  Gibson  mills  at  Indian- 
apolis, Indiana,  for  three  months,  but  on  ac- 
count of  the  dust  was  obliged  to  give  up 
that  occupation.  Accepting  the  first  posi- 
tion that  presented  itself,  he  was  news 
agent  on  the  Lake  Erie  &  Western  Railroad 
for  a  time,  and  later  was  on  the  Big  Four 
Railroad  running  out  of  Indianapolis,  but  he 
did  not  like  that  occupation  and  soon  gave 
it  up.  Returning  to  Bloomington  he  went 
to  work  in  the  paint  shop  of  the  Chicago  & 
Alton  Railroad  Company,  where  he  remained 
three  years  and  then  gave  up  the  position, 
as  he  had  grown  tired  of  that  occupation. 
In  the  meantime  he  was  always  to  be  found 
around  the  opera  house  at  night,  passing 
bills,  ushering  or  doing  other  odd  jobs  which 
he  could  get,  and  he  also  worked  for  the  bill 
poster.  Finally,  on  quitting  the  Chicago  & 
Alton  Railroad  shops,  he  was  given  a  posi- 
tion by  George  Cummings,  who  now  has 
charge  of  the  advertising  of  one  of  the  lead- 
ing theatres  of  New  York  City,  and  under 
him  our  subject  became  thoroughly  familiar 
with  everything  pertaining  to  the  manage- 
ment of  a  theatre,  and  when  he  resigned  his 
position  as  foreman  bill  poster,  Mr.  Peter- 
son was  given  the  position  of  foreman  of  the 
bill  posters  in  Bloomington,  which  he  held 
for  about  four  years.  He  then  went  on  the 
road  as  advance  agent  for  Harry  Webber, 
of  the  Nip  &  Tuck  Company,  and  the  last 
year  he  was  with  them  he  was  one  of  the 
actors.  He  first  went  on  the  stage  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  one  of  the  actors  who  was  ill,  and 
so  well  did  he  succeed  in  playing  his  part 
that  he  was  retained  in  that  capacity. 
Leaving  the  company  at  New  Orleans,  he 


returned  to  Bloomington  and  was  again 
made  bill  poster  for  the  opera  house,  which 
position  he  held  in  all  eighteen  years,  four- 
teen years  at  one  time.  He  continued  to 
superintend  the  bill  posting  until  the  open- 
ing of  the  Coliseum,  when  he  was  offered 
the  position  of  manager  of  that  house,  which 
is  one  of  the  largest  opera  houses  in  central 
Illinois,  having  a  seating  capacity  of  thirty 
five  hundred.  He  has  made  the  theatre 
business  a  study  for  years,  so  that  he 
thoroughly  understands  it,  and  is  meeting 
with  most  excellent  success  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Coliseum,  being  careful  in  his 
selection  of  plays  so  as  to  have  only  first- 
class  performances.  He  is  now  able  to  give 
to  the  public  a  one  dollar  show  for  fifty 
cents,  and  thus  far  has  received  a  most  lib- 
eral support.  He  still  does  his  own  posting. 
Mr.  Peterson  has  not  only  proved  a  good 
business  manager,  but  is  also  quite  success- 
ful as  an  actor,  and  in  the  home  minstrels 
of  one  hundred  people,  given  by  the  Carni- 
val Association,  he  played  an  important 
part.  He  staged  the  piece  Carl  Johnson, 
the  Woodman,  in  which  his  children  took 
part. 

Mr.  Peterson  married  Miss  Josephine 
Krimmel,  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  to 
them  have  been  born  two  children:  Leota 
Litta  and  William  A.  They  have  a  modern 
and  attractive  home  on  South  Madison 
street,  which  was  erected  by  our  subject  at 
a  cost  of  three  thousand  dollars.  Socially 
he  is  quite  prominent,  and  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
Blooming  Grove  Lodge,  No.  no,  for  six 
years;  Pythias  Lodge,  No.  i6i,  K.  P.,  for 
seven  years;  and  Custer  Company,  No.  22, 
Uniform  Rank  of  Knights  of  Pythias,  in 
which  he  has  served  as  record  for  two  years 
and  as  first  sergeant.      He  could  have  gone 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


275 


through  all  the  chairs,  but  his  evenings  are 
generally  occupied  by  his  business.  All 
local  entertainments  receive  his  endorse- 
ment and  support,  and  he  is  widely  and 
favorably  known  in  theatrical  circles. 


DR.  J.  E.  COVEY,  of  Lexington,  Illi- 
nois, is  a  well  known  physician  of 
acknowledged  skill  and  ability  of  McLean 
county.  He  was  born  in  Downs  township 
October  8,  1861,  and  is  the  son  of  Corne- 
lius and  Dicy  (Johnson)  Covey,  the  former 
a  native  of  Cayuga  county.  New  York,  born 
February  26,  181 5,  and  the  latter  a  native 
of  Kentucky,  born  July  29,  1818.  Cornelius 
Covey  moved  with  his  father,  Edward 
Covey,  to  Ohio  when  he  was  but  two  years 
of  age,  and  there  the  family  remained  until 
1836  when  they  came  to  McLean  county, 
or  what  was  then  a  portion  of  McLean 
county,  locating  at  Farmer  City,  in  what 
is  now  DeWitt  county.  While  yet  residing 
in  Ohio,  he  received  his  education  in  the 
pioneer  schools  of  that  state.  His  father 
was  by  occupation  a  farmer,  and  he  was 
reared  to  that  calling.  Edward  Covey 
passed  to  his  reward  November  28,  1854, 
his  wife  surviving  him  some  years,  dying 
March  19,  1861.  Her  maiden  name  was 
Hannah  Northrup,  and  she  was  the  sister 
of  Stephen  J.  Northrup,  who  carried  the 
news  of  Arnold's  treachery  from  West 
Point  to  Hartford,  where  General  Wash- 
ington was  then  stationed. 

After  coming  to  Illinois,  Cornelius 
Covey  remained  with  his  parents  until  he 
attained  his  majority,  and  from  their  home 
he  walked  to  Pekin,  Tazewell  county, 
where  he  worked  during  the  winter  of  1838 
in  a  slaughter  house,  making  enough  money 
to  purchase  ten  acres  of  land,    on  which  he 


built  a  small  log  house  with  one  room,  got 
married  and  commenced  life  in  earnest. 
The  young  couple  moved  into  the  house 
before  the  floor  was  laid,  and  the  wife 
would  hold  the  tallow  candle  while  the 
husband  hewed  logs  for  the  puncheon  floor. 
Nearly  all  the  furniture  used  in  that  cabin 
he  made  from  logs.  For  a  time  he  chopped 
wood  and  split  rails,  earning  thereby  fifty 
cents  per  day.  His  good  wife  was  not  idle 
in  the  meantime,  but  with  her  loom  and 
spinning  wheel  made  an  equal  amount.  In 
that  log  cabin  they  resided  a  few  years,  and 
then  moved  to  what  is  now  Empire  town- 
ship, McLean  county,  where  he  purchased 
thirty  acres  of  land  from  his  wife's  mother. 
On  that  farm  he  resided  with  his  family 
until  about  1850,  when  he  moved  to  Downs 
township,  where  he  took  up  one  hundred 
and  si.xty  acres  of  prairie  land,  about  one 
mile  from  any  timber.  He  was  told  by 
the  settlers  that  he  would  freeze  to  death 
being  so  far  from  the  timber,  but  he  only 
laughed  at  them.  Improving  the  place,  he 
lived  on  that  farm  until  1879,  when  he 
moved  into  the  village  of  Leroy,  where  he 
lived  in  retirement  during  the  remainder  of 
his  life,  dying  January  18,  1892. 

On  the  5th  of  September,  1837,  Corne- 
lius Covey  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Dicy  Johnson,  daughter  of  James  and  Cath- 
erine Johnson,  pioneers  of  McLean  county, 
coming  here  from  their  native  state  of  Ken- 
tucky about  1823,  being  among  the  very 
earliest  settlers  of  White  county,  Illinois. 
They  located  near  Bloomington,  which  had 
then  but  a  few  small  log  cabins.  They  died 
but  a  few  years  ago  and  were  buried  on  the 
home  farm  in  Empire  township.  To  Cor- 
nelius and  Dicy  Covy  eleven  children  were 
born — Katherine,  Edmund,  James  R. ,  By- 
ron, Sarah  E.,  Nathan,  Lorenzo,   Stephen 


276 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


H.,  William  J.,  Henry  and  John  E.  Mrs. 
Dicy  Covey  was  named  for  a  daughter  of 
Daniel  Boone,  who  was  a  dear  friend  of  the 
family.  In  politics,  Cornelius  Covey  was  a 
Republican,  and  religiously  he  was  a  Bap- 
tist, as  was  also  his  wife.      She  died  August 

4.  1895- 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  his 
primary  education  in  the  district  schools  of 
Downs  township,  and  on  the  removal  of  the 
family  to  Leroy,  he  attended  the  high  school 
of  that  place,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1880.  On  leaving  the  high  school,  he 
taught  school  one  year  in  Empire  township, 
and  in  1881  entered  the  Illinois  Wesleyan 
University  at  Bloomington,  taking  the  scien- 
tific course  of  two  years.  During  the  sum- 
mer of  these  two  years  he  studied  medicine 
with  Drs.  White  and  Guthrie,  of  Blooming- 
ton,  and  in  March,  1884,  entered  the  Rush 
Medical  College  Chicago,  where  he  re- 
mained three  years,  taking  what  was  known 
as  the  graded  course,  comprising  three  full 
winter  and  three  full  spring  terms,  and 
graduating  February  26,  1887. 

On  receiving  his  diploma,  Dr.  Covey  im- 
mediately located  in  Lexington,  where  he 
has  since  remained.  He  first  commenced 
practice  in  partnership  with  Dr.  J.  C.  Gra- 
ham, and  was  with  him  about  two  and  a 
half  years.  Purchasing  the  interest  and 
good  will  of  his  partner,  he  has  since  con- 
tinued alone  in  practice,  with  gratifying  suc- 
cess. He  takes  great  interest  in  his  profes- 
sion, and  always  endeavors  to  keep  posted 
in  the  latest  discoveries  in  the  medical 
world.  He  is  a  member  of  the  McLean 
County  Medical  Society,  of  the  Illinois 
State  Medical  Society,  and  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  and  in  the  proceed- 
ings of  each  he  takes  an  active  and  lively 
interest. 


On  the  29th  of  May,  1890,  Dr.  Covey 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Emma  L. 
Scrogin,  who  was  born  in  Le.xington  town- 
ship, September  8,  1869,  and  daughter  of 
Levin  P.  and  Sarah  E.  Scrogin,  of  whom 
mention  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
By  this  union  two  children  have  been  born, 
Katherine  and  John  E.,  Jr.,  both  of  whom 
are  attending  the  schools  of  Lexington. 

In  politics  the  Doctor  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican, and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
Benjamin  Harrison  in  1888.  He  is  now 
serving  as  one  of  the  alderman  of  his  city, 
a  position  he  has  filled  for  two  years. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  Lexington 
Lodge,  No.  482,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  which 
he  has  filled  all  the  chairs;  of  Chenoa 
Chapter,  No.  — ,  R.  A.  M. ;  of  Ideal  Lodge, 
No.  338,  K.  P.,  of  Lexington,  in  which  he 
has  also  filled  all  the  chairs;  and  of  Ingomar 
Camp,  No.  601,  M.  W.  A.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church,  of  which 
body  his  wife  is  also  a  member.  He  is 
medical  examiner  for  some  twelve  or  fifteen 
insurance  societies,  most  of  them  being  old- 
line  companies. 

The  Doctor  has  been  quite  successful 
in  a  financial  way,  and  has  made  some 
very  good  investments.  He  has  lately  pur- 
chased three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land  in  Money  Creek  township,  which  cost 
him  a  snug  sum  of  money.  In  addition  he 
owns  a  good  farm  in  Lexington  township. 
As  a  citizen  he  is  enterprising  and  progres- 
sive, ready  to  assist  in  any  enterprise  of 
public  benefit.  No  man  in  Lexington  has 
more  friends  or  is  held  in  higher  esteem. 


ADAM  WAYBRIGHT,    who  lives  on  a 
fine  farm  of  eighty-seven  acres  adjoin- 
ing the  village  of  Downs,  first  came  to  Mc- 


The  biographical  record. 


277 


Lean  county  in  1849.  He  is  a  native  of 
Virginia,  and  was  born  in  Highland  county. 
May  16,  1826.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  his 
native  county,  and  was  reared  to  farm  life. 
It  was  with  him  work,  work,  almost  from 
early  childhood.  Prior  to  leaving  his  na- 
tive state,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Millie  Wicks,  who  was  born  in  Shen- 
andoah county,  Virginia.  After  his  mar- 
riage he  engaged  in  farming,  but  as  his 
means  were  not  sufficient  to  own  and  use 
slave  labor,  he  felt  that  he  could  not  suc- 
ceed, and  with  others  determined  to  emi- 
grate to  Illinois,  where  land  was  yet  plenty 
and  where  the  opportunities  would  be  far 
greater  for  ultimate  success.  Accordingly, 
in  the  fall  of  1849,  about  six  families  started 
from  their  old  Virginia  home  destined  for 
McLean  county,  Illinois.  They  arrived 
here  just  before  Christmas,  and  Mr.  Way- 
bright  found  employment  on  the  farm  of 
John  Price,  adjoining  the  one  on  which  he 
now  lives.  He  later  rented  the  Price  farm 
and  run  that  for  seven  years,  and  during 
that  time  purchased  eighty  acres  of  unim- 
proved land  in  Downs  township,  on  which 
he  located  and  commenced  to  improve. 
After  remaining  there  two  years  he  sold  the 
same  and  purchased  sixty  acres,  which  he 
also  improved.  He  remained  on  that  place 
four  years,  and  then  sold  for  fifty  dollars  per 
acre,  which  was  a  nice  advance  on  the  pur- 
chase price.  He  then  purchased  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  acres,  known 
as  the  James  Weaver  place,  on  which  he 
resided  eight  years,  selling  that  for  fifty 
dollars  per  acre,  which  was  an  advance  on 
the  purchase  price.  In  1882  he  purchased 
eighty-seven  acres  where  he  now  resides, 
and  on  which  he  has  continually  lived  since 
that  time. 

Since  removing  to  his  present  farm,  Mr. 


Waybright  has  made  some  good  improve- 
ments, including  the  erection  of  his  present 
neat  and  comfortable  dwelling  house.  In 
addition  to  his  farming  and  stock  raising, 
for  some  years  Mr.  Waybright  was  engaged 
in  buying  and  selling  stock,  in  which  line  he 
met  with  a  fair  degree  of  success.  In  con- 
nection with  Peter  Price,  Mr  Waybright 
laid  out  the  village  of  Downs,  and  paid  the 
greater  part  of  the  expense  in  the  erection 
of  the  station  buildings.  Commencing  life 
without  a  dollar,  Mr.  Waybright  has  gone 
along  the  even  tenor  of  his  way,  adding  lit- 
tle by  little  to  his  store,  as  the  years  passed 
by,  and  is  now  in  very  comfortable  circum- 
stances, with  no  fear  of  the  future. 

In  1880  Mrs.  Millie  Waybright  departed 
this  life,  and  for  his  second  wife  Mr.  Way- 
bright  married  in  Lincoln  county,  Missouri, 
March  5,  1885,  Miss  Alice  Colaw,  a  native 
of  that  county  and  state,  and  daughter  of 
Jesse  Colaw,  who  was  born  and  reared  in 
Highland  county,  Virginia,  but  who  was 
an  early  settler  of  Lincoln  county,  Missouri. 
By  this  second  marriage  there  are  three 
children  living — Walter  D.  Leslie,  and 
James  Adam.  One  daughter,  their  first 
born,  died  in  infancy. 

Politically,  Mr.  Waybright  is  a  Jack- 
sonian  Democrat,  and  with  that  party  he 
has  continued  to  act  all  his  life,  believing 
with  all  his  heart  in  its  principles.  His 
first  presidential  vote  was  cast  for  James  K. 
Polk.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  of  which  body  his  wife  is 
also  a  member.  For  fifty  years — a  half 
century — he  has  been  a  citizen  of  McLean 
county,  and  during  that  time  he  has  seen 
villages  and  cities  spring  up,  and  the  whole 
county  dotted  over  with  excellent  farms  and 
farm  houses,  while  school  houses  and 
churches  are   within   convenient    distances 


278 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


to  the  whole  body  of  people,  and  evidences 
of  prosperity  abound  on  every  hand,  and 
in  the  great  work  that  has  been  accom- 
plished he  has  been  no  unimportant  factor. 


WILLIAM  RICHARD  WHITE.  In 
the  great  trade  circles  of  the  west 
there  has  been  no  one  who  has  borne  a 
more  unsullied  reputation  than  this  honored 
resident  of  Bloomington.  He  is  of  the 
highest  type  of  the  self-made  man,  one  who 
has  by  untiring  effort,  close  application,  un- 
abating  energy,  and  laudable  ambition  risen 
from  obscurity  to  an  eminent  place  among 
the  representatives  of  the  industrial  interests 
of  the  country.  Through  all,  the  upright- 
ness of  his  nature  has  remained  unchange- 
able. Following  in  the  path  of  duty  he 
has  so  lived  as  to  win  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  all.  Integrity,  activity  and  energy 
have  been  the  crowning  points  of  his  char- 
acter, and  his  life  history  represents  an 
eventful  and  interesting  career  in  which 
difficulties  and  obstacles  have  been  over- 
come, and  wealth  has  rewarded  honorable 
and  consecutive  labor. 

A  native  of  Illinois,  Mr.  White  was  born 
at  Goose  Nest  Prairie,  in  Coles  county,  a 
mile  east  of  the  home  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
about  the  time  he  served  in  the  state  legis- 
lature. The  date  of  his  birth  was  Decem- 
ber 22,  1844,  and  his  parents  were  Bar- 
tholomew and  Elizabeth  (Easton)  White. 
He  traced  his  ancestry  back  to  one  of  the 
patriots  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  William 
White,  who  joined  a  South  Carolina  regi- 
ment and  gave  his  life  for  the  cause  of 
American  independence.  His  son,  William 
White,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  removed 
from  South  Carolina  to  Tennessee,  and  on 


March  3,  1828,  came  to  Coles  county,  Illi- 
nois, entered  land  from  the  government  and 
there  spent  his  remaining  days,  his  death 
occurring  about  1837. 

Bartholomew  W.  White  was  born  in 
Smith  county,  Tennessee,  January  6,  18 12, 
and  was  a  lad  of  fifteen  years  when  he  ac- 
companied his  parents  on  their  removal  to 
Coles  county.  He  began  his  education  in 
Tennessee  and  completed  it  in  this  state. 
After  his  marriage  he  engaged  in  farming, 
buying  a  tract  of  land  which  he  cultivated 
for  some  nine  years.  He  also  engaged  in 
hauling  lead  from  Galena  to  Milwaukee  for 
nine  years.  He  afterward  spent  thirty 
years  in  educational  work  and  in  the  minis- 
try of  the  Christian  church,  and  throughout 
the  state  his  influence  was  widely  felt.  He 
established  many  churches  in  the  new  set- 
tlements throughout  Illinois,  and  baptized 
nearly  four  thousand  people.  He  often 
went  from  thirty  to  one  hundred  miles  to 
preach  the  gospel,  traveling  on  horseback, 
receiving  for  his  services  whatever  the  peo- 
ple wished  to  pay  him.  His  life  was  one  of 
consecrated  devotion  to  the  cause.  His 
power  and  influence  in  his  holy  office  were 
exerted  in  a  spirit  of  the  deepest  human 
sympathy  and  tender  solicitude,  nor  was 
there  denied  him  the  full  harvest  nor  the 
aftermath  whose  garnering  shall  bring  the 
sure  reward  in  the  words  of  commendation, 
"Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant." 
He  read  the  opening  chapter  at  the  funeral 
of  the  father  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  at  which 
time  the  Lincoln  family  resided  near  Janes- 
ville,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  White  family. 
Mr.  Lincoln,  Sr. ,  often  visited  at  the  home 
of  our  subject,  and  while  Rev.  White  was 
at  Galena  he  always  performed  the  service 
of  taking  honey  from  the  hives  for  the 
family. 


WM.   R.  WHITE. 


THE  NhW  YOI;K 

PUBLIC  Library 

ASTOR,  LENOX 
TILDEN  FOUrD     MO^' 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


2SI 


In  1859  Bartholomew  White,  with  his 
eldest  son,  joined  a  party  en  route  for 
Pike's  Peak,  but  returned  to  Illinois  in  the 
fall  and  resumed  his  ministerial  labors. 
There  was  much  suffering  in  the  mining  re- 
gions of  Colorado  at  that  time,  many  starv- 
ing to  death.  He  returned  with  many 
relics,  but  no  gold,  and  again  preached  the 
gospel  to  the  people  of  Illinois  for  many 
years.  At  length  he  retired  to  Neoga,  this 
state,  where  his  son,  William  R.,  pur- 
chased him  a  home  in  which  he  afterward 
resided.  The  son  also  paid  off  his  father's 
debts,  amounting  to  twenty-two  hundred 
dollars,  and  the  aged  preacher  has  gone  to 
his  long  home,  being  called  there  by  the 
angel  of  death,  February  11,  1899,  aged 
eighty-five  years,  one  month  and  five  days. 
His  wife  passed  away  on  the  20th  of  De- 
cember, 1884.  She  was  born  in  Palestine, 
Crawford  county,  Illinois,  September  4, 
1 8 16,  a  daughter  of  William  Richard  Eaton, 
for  whom  our  subject  was  named.  He  was 
born  in  Kentucky,  and  married  Elizabeth 
Eaton  about  the  year  1782.  To  them  were 
born  eleven  children.  He  was  a  success- 
ful carpenter  and  cabinet  maker,  and 
served  his  country  as  a  soldier  in  the  Black- 
hawk  and  Mexican  wars.  He  was  one  of 
the  pioneers  of  Crawford  county.  Some  of 
his  children  were  born  in  a  fort  near  Vin- 
cennes,  Indiana,  and  at  an  early  day  he  re- 
moved to  Coles  county,  where  his  daugh- 
ter Elizabeth  was  reared,  her  marriage  to 
Mr.  White  being  celebrated  in  Charleston, 
Coles  county,  October  2,  1834.  In  her 
early  years  she  was  noted  for  her  skill  in 
spinning  and  weaving  flax,  and  in  doing 
little  jobs  of  carpenter  work  around  her 
own  home  she  was  also  proficient.  It  was 
probably  from  her  that  William  R.  White 
inherited  his  mechanical  genius.      She  was 


a  most  earnest  worker  in  church  and  Sun- 
day school,  and  was  so  well  versed  in  the 
scriptures  that  she  could  sustain  an  argu- 
ment with  any  minister  of  the  time,  ex- 
pressing her  views  with  a  clearness  and 
force  that  often  made  her  opponent  call  into 
question  the  soundness  of  his  own  opinions. 
Withal  she  was  so  kind,  gentle  and  loving 
that  she  died  without  an  enemy  in  the 
world.  "Her  children  rise  up  and  call  her 
blessed." 

Unto  Bartholomew  and  Elizabeth  White 
were  born  nine  children,  who  reached  years 
of  maturity.  Lewis  B.,  who  died  in  Cali- 
fornia in  ,1884,  was  for  twenty-five  years  a 
successful  school  teacher.  He  was  an  ex- 
pert p^enpnjan,  could  display  thirty-two  varia- 
tions iTi  his  handwriting,  and  could  inscribe 
his  name  five  times  at  once,  using  both 
hands  and  his  mouth.  He  was  an  excellent 
grammarian  and  a  master  of  the  art  of 
rhetoric,  and  his  splendid  gifts  of  oratory 
made  his  services  in  great  demand  as  the 
speaker  on  various  public  occasions,  es- 
pecially at  Fourth  of  July  celebrations. 
Paroleane  became  the  wife  of  James  Con- 
rad and  died,  leaving  a  son,  John  Conrad, 
of  Crawford  county,  a  most  earnest  Chris- 
tian gentleman  over  whose  life  record  there 
falls  no  shadow  of  wrong.  Arminda  J., 
now  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Jackson 
Brooks,  who  had  gone  before  marriage  to 
California.  To  them  were  born  five  chil- 
dren. She  was  a  most  thorough  Bible  stu- 
dent, able  to  discuss  with  theologians  any 
disputed  point,  and  was  a  correspondent  of 
Rev.  Mathews,  the  publisher  of  the  Chris- 
tian Record,  of  Cincinnati,  who  was  a  pio- 
neer minister  of  the  Christian  church.  In 
Sunday-school  work  she  was  most  zealous 
and  earnest,  and  at  all  times  she  closely 
followed  in  the  footsteps  of  the  lowly  Naza- 


282 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


rene.  Hannah  E.  became  the  wife  of  New- 
ton Smith,  an  elder  of  the  church  in  Hutton 
township,  Coles  county,  Illinois.  She,  too, 
was  an  earnest  worker  in  the  church,  will- 
ing to  make  any  sacrifice  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  cause  of  Christianity.  In  man- 
ner she  was  most  charming,  affable  and 
kindly,  and  was  no  less  beautiful  in  person, 
having  a  fair  complexion.  Delilah  Emiline, 
who  married  J.  Prather,  is  a  tall  but  win- 
some blue-eyed  woman,  living  near  Neoga, 
Illinois.  Her  husband  was  fair,  with  black 
eyes,  and  their  first  two  children  were  blue- 
eyed,  the  second  two  black-eyed,  the  third 
two  blue-eyed,  and  the  last  two  had  eyes 
like  the  father's.  The  home  of  this  family 
was  near  Neoga,  and  most  of  the  children 
have  engaged  in  teaching  school.  William 
R.  White  is  the  next  member  of  his  father's 
family,  and  was  followed  by  Mary  C,  who 
is  the  wife  of  John  G.  Hunter,  of  Neoga. 
They  have  four  children,  all  of  whom  have 
been  teachers,  and  two  of  the  sons  after- 
ward became  preachers.  James  Napoleon 
White  was  a  Union  soldier  during  the  civil 
war  and  died  at  Chattanooga  while  in  the 
service.  Sarah  Malinda  is  the  wife  of  Will- 
iam P.  Lacy.  They  own  a  nice  farm  near 
Neoga,  and  they  have  one  son.  Like  the 
other  members  of  her  family,  Mrs.  Lacy  is 
devoted  to  church  and  Sunday-school  work, 
has  been  a  delegate  to  many  of  the  conven- 
tions of  her  denomination  in  the  state,  and 
by  her  excellent  vocal  powers  has  contrib- 
uted not  a  little  to  the  musical  features  of 
these  meetings.  Martha  E.  is  the  wife  of 
Nathan  B.  Haskett,  and  is  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
of  Neoga,  Illinois.  Melsena  is  the  wife  of 
J.  W.  Spencer,  a  miller  of  Neoga,  by  whom 
she  has  three  children.  She,  too,  possesses 
superior  musical  ability,   a  talent  which  is 


shared    by    most    of    the    members    of    the 
White  family. 

Fate  seemed  to  have  been  unkind  to 
William  R.  White  in  his  childhood,  for  the 
first  eight  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in 
almost  total  darkness.  Serious  trouble 
with  his  eyes  made  it  almost  impossible  for 
him  to  bear  the  light  and  he  was  forced  to 
remain  in  a  large  walnut  cupboard  or  under 
a  bed  from  which  heavy  quilts  were  hung, 
thus  excluding  the  light.  He  did  not  see 
the  sun  until  eight  years  of  age,  and 
through  his  affliction  was  deprived  of  most 
of  the  pleasures  which  children  enjoy.  He 
worked  for  his  brother  in  order  to  get  his 
old  books,  his  first  text  book  being  an  old 
third  reader.  He  first  attended  school 
when  eleven  years  of  age,  but  his  entire 
course,  continuing  at  intervals  until  his 
nineteenth  year,  did  not  cover  more  than 
eighteen  months.  He  was  ambitious  to 
learn,  however,  and  studied  in  his  leisure 
moments  and  at  night.  As  his  father  was 
poor  and  could  not  afford  kerosene  oil  or 
candles  William  would  carry  bark  from  the 
timber  where  he  made  rails  and  clapboards 
for  a  mile  on  his  shoulder,  and  use  it  for 
lighting  purposes,  when  he  was  poring  over 
his  books.  In  school  he  managed  to  master 
Ray's  Third  Part  Arithmetic  to  analysis, 
and  completed  it  at  home.  He  was  an  apt 
scholar  and  possessed  an  excellent  mem- 
ory. At  one  time  he  wished  to  contest  for 
a  Sunday-school  prize  by  memorizing  the 
six  chapters  of  the  book  of  the  Ephesians, 
which  he  did  in  one  week  while  following 
the  plow.  In  a  pocket  he  carried  a  testa- 
ment, and  while  the  horses  were  turning 
at  the  ends,  and  at  noons  and  mornings, 
he  memorized  it.  He  took  great  interest 
in  literary  and  debating  societies,  and  his 
oratorical  ability  was  so  far  in   advance  of 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


283 


the  others  of  the  neighborhood  that  finally 
at  one  place  he  was  ruled  out  of  the  soci- 
eties because  every  one  feared  to  debate 
against  him.  In  his  early  manhood,  when 
eighteen  years  of  age,  he  began  teaching,  a 
profession  which  he  followed  for  fourteen 
years.  He  taught  for  nine  years  in  seven 
adjoining  districts,  and  during  the  last  part 
of  his  labors  in  that  profession  he  held  a 
first  grade  certificate.  His  advance  seemed 
always  in  the  face  of  many  difficulties  and 
hardships,  but  a  resolute  spirit  and  honor- 
able purpose  enabled  him  to  triumph  over 
these,  and  ultimately  win  success. 

In  1 87 1  misfortune  overtook  him  and  he 
had  to  place  a  mortgage  upon  his  little  farm 
of  fifty  acres.  He  eventually  lost  the  place, 
and  then  turned  his  attention  to  invention. 
Possessed  of  much  mechanical  ability,  he 
had  studied  the  needs  of  the  farmers  and  at 
length  produced  a  fence,  without  wire,  bolt, 
pin  or  augur  hole.  He  perfected  his  inven- 
tion but  had  not  the  money  to  patent  it 
until  his  sister  Delilah  and  other  friends 
loaned  him  the  sum,  he  to  pay  one  hundred 
dollars'  worth  of  the  invention  for  each  dol- 
lar received.  The  patent  was  at  length  se- 
cured and  the  invention  proved  a  success 
so  that  his  financial  stress  was  soon  relieved, 
and  from  that  time  forward  his  capital  has 
constantly  increased  until  it  has  now  as- 
sumed extensive  proportions.  The  fence 
meeting  his  expectations,  Mr.  White  now 
wished  to  invent  a  gate  to  go  with  it,  and 
commenced  the  labors  that  have  resulted  in 
the  production  of  the  Bessemer  steel  gate, 
which  is  unequaled  by  anything  of  the  kind 
ever  placed  upon  the  market.  Before  this 
was  done,  however,  he  invented  many  wheel 
and  swinging  gates,  and  finally  the  oscillat- 
ing arm  steel  gate,  which  was  patented  in 
May  and  June,  1897.      He  now  has  a  large 


and  splendidly  equipped  gate  factory  in 
Bloomington,  in  which  city  he  has  made  his 
home  since  1 893,  and  at  times  the  factory  has 
been  operated  day  and  night  in  order  to  meet 
the  demands  of  the  trade.  For  one  hundred 
and  four  days  his  sales  on  the  gate  amounted 
to  five  hundred  dollars  daily,  or  fifty-four 
thousand  dollars.  In  a  short  time  his  sales 
had  reached  ninety-seven  thousand  dollars, 
and  he  had  done  no  business  on  Sundays. 
Later  his  sales  amounted  to  between  three 
and  four  hundred  dollars  per  day  for  some 
months,  and  now  the  White  gate  is  known 
throughout  the  entire  country.  He  has  not 
only  sold  direct  to  purchasers,  but  has  dis- 
posed of  the  territory  at  reasonable  rates, 
so  that  others  have  profited  by  the  invention 
which  has  now  yielded  to  him  a  princely  for- 
tune. He  has  secured  altogether  sixty 
patents  and  four  hundred  and  eighty  of  his 
claims  on  gates  have  been  allowed.  His 
sales  on  his  own  inventions  have  amounted 
to  over  a  half  million  of  dollars,  but  he  does 
not  claim  to  be  worth  that  amount,  and 
as  yet  the  White  Bessemer  Steel  Gate  has 
hardly  been  two  years  on  the  market.  Its 
value  to  the  agricultural  public  can  hardly 
be  overestimated  and  it  is  but  another 
triumph  of  the  American  skill  and  genius 
which  has  placed  this  country  at  the  head  of 
all  nations  in  the  production  of  useful  inven- 
tions. He  received  the  Blue  Ribbon  and 
Diploma  from  the  World's  Columbian  Ex- 
position at  Chicago,  and  a  gold  medal  pre- 
mium, carried  off  similar  prizes  at  the  Omaha 
exposition,  and  expects  to  exhibit  the  gate  at 
the  Paris  Exposition  in  1900.  He  got  first 
honors  on  his  farm  gates  at  New  Orleans 
in  1885,  and  at  Louisville  in  1886.  The 
United  States  Government  has  selected  his 
gates  as  worthy  of  being  placed  in  the  pat- 
ent office  exhibits    at    all  the   large   exposi- 


284 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


tions  in  the  United  States  for  thirteen  years. 

Mr.  White  was  quite  an  inventor  when 
he  taught  school,  but  did  not  know  it  at 
the  time.  He  carried  in  his  vest  pocket  a 
little  book,  called  an  Idle-book.  If  a  pupil 
were  idle  during  school  hours,  he  would 
give  it  a  mark;  if  a  second  time  he  gave  it 
another  mark  secretly;  then  he  would  tell 
the  school  that  a  member  had  two  marks, 
and  if  he  had  to  give  him  three  idle-marks 
that  day  the  same  pupil  would  have  to  be 
whipped,  a  thing  he  would  be  pained  to  do, 
so  James  thought  it  was  he,  Mary  feared  it 
was  she,  Bob  almost  knew  it  was  he,  and 
the  result  was  they  all  studied  as  they  never 
did  before.  The  facts  are,  in  three  schools 
only  one  boy  "of  fourteen  years  "  had  to 
be  whipped.  Mr.  White  told  him  how 
sorry  he  was  that  a  good,  bright  boy  should 
commit  such  a  crime;  that  it  was  bad  to 
swear,  to  lie  was  worse,  for  a  falsehood  in- 
jured others,  but  to  be  idle  injured  himself, 
his  teacher,  and  deceived  his  parents,  who 
furnish  all  pertaining  to  the  school,  and 
such  an  offence  was  grave  indeed, — that 
those  who  did  not  work  should  not  eat.  So 
that  ended  the  whipping;  the  warning  was 
all  he  had  to  do. 

On  short,  cold  days  Mr.  White  would 
tell  the  school  interesting  things,  then  have 
a  recess  in  which  queries  would  be  pro- 
pounded, and  the  hard  questions  be  sent  to 
the  parents  of  the  scholars.  He  would 
open  his  school  by  singing  an  appropriate 
song.  Once  while  he  was  teaching  in  the 
western  part  of  Cumberland  county,  Illi- 
nois, the  adjoining  teacher  learned  that  part 
of  Mr.  White's  school  had  changed  from 
Webster's  speller  to  McGuffie's,  and  ban- 
tered Mr.  White  for  a  spelling  match. 
Mr.  White  accepted  the  challenge,  and 
went  to  his  school  with  about  twenty  pupils. 


The  other  teacher  got  a  pronouncer  from 
his  own  district,  who  selected  his  words 
promiscuously,  and  if  a  pupil  of  that  district 
missed  a  word,  he  would  say  "how.'"  and 
of  course  the  pupil  would  change.  On 
words  that  he  e.xpected  Mr.  White's  pupils 
to  miss,  he  would  also  say  "How?"  expect- 
ing them  to  change  and  miss.  Near  mid- 
night it  ended  up  even,  but  Mr.  White  in- 
formed the  school  of  the  unfairness  of  the 
man  giving  out  the  words,  and  challenged 
his  neighbor's  school,  to  meet  with  his  the 
next  week,  which  challenge  was  accepted. 
Mr.  White  learned  the  other  school  meant  to 
post  up, and  got  his  pupils  to  agree  to  do  just 
what  he  planned.  He  told  them  that  where 
there  was  a  family  of  three  or  five,  to  pair 
off  in  twos,  and  as  near  in  scholarship  as 
possible,  then  they  must  go  to  each  other's 
house,  one  taking  a  book,  and  pronouncing 
every  word  from  page  eight  to  the  last  page, 
each  word  missed  must  be  marked,  and  then 
that  book  must  be  handed  to  the  one  spell- 
ing, and  in  turn  must  have  every  word  in 
the  book  put  to  him,  and  all  words  marked 
that  he  missed,  and  then  each  must  learn  to 
spell  every  word  so  marked,  and  get  its 
definition.  When  the  schools  met  a  pro- 
nouncer was  secured  from  a  third  district, 
and  there  were  eighteen  on  a  side,  as  the 
other  teacher  only  brought  his  best  spellers. 
With  the  two  teachers  it  made  nineteen  on 
a  side.  Possibly  there  never  before  was 
such  an  interest  displayed.  Each  teacher 
took  his  place  at  the  foot  of  his  class. 
Tally  was  kept  and  at  ten  minutes  after  mid- 
night, Mr.  White  cut  down  the  last  of  the 
opposite  side,  leaving  thirteen  of  his  own  to 
be  spelled  down.  The  man  who  kept  tally, 
told  him  that  his  opponents  missed  three 
words  to  one  by  the  pupils  of  his  school. 
This  was  enough  for  the  other  school;  they 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


285 


went  home  the  worst  defeated  school  ever 
heard  of  until  later  Mr.  White  was  hired  at 
the  Ailshire  school,  in  the  south  part  of  the 
county.  The  year  before,  a  teacher  teach- 
ing below  in  an  old  and  well-equiped  district, 
had  paid  a  visit  to  the  Ailshire  school  and 
advertised  them  in  the  papers  as  being  very 
poor  spellers.  This  teacher  was  full  of  self- 
esteem,  and  made  the  remark  that  he 
thought  the  best  scholar  in  the  Ailshire 
school  might  spell  the  word  Baker,  which 
by  the  way  was  his  name.  Mr.  White  cre- 
ated quite  an  interest  by  Christmas,  organ- 
izing a  literary  society,  teaching  a  singing 
school  of  nights,  and  having  spelling-matches 
and  debates.  Baker  got  interested,  and 
would  attend  occasionally,  soon  proposing  a 
spelling-match,  one  school  against  the  other, 
saying  that  he  expected  his  school,  of 
course,  would  be  beaten,  but  that  should 
make  no  difference,  so  long  as  they  could 
learn  something.  The  older  pupils  went  to 
Mr.  White  saying  that  it  would  never  do  to 
spell  against  that  school,  that  he  had  adver- 
tised them  the  year  before,  and  that  his 
school  was  greatly  advanced,  while  their 
chances  had  been  meagre,- — using  a  log 
house  up  to  this  year.  Mr.  White  feared 
nothing,  knowing  his  own  tactics,  and  made 
a  talk  in  favor  of  the  spelling-match,  which 
was  carried  by  a  single  majority.  The 
next  day  Mr.  White  informed  his  pupils  of 
his  plan  to  beat  the  other  school,  and  all 
jumped  to  their  feet  with  one  accord,  cry- 
ing out  with  great  enthusiasm,  that  they 
would  do  anything  honorable  to  beat. 
When  the  spelling-match  came  off,  Mr. 
White  only  lost  one  pupil,  who  happened 
to  miss  a  word,  and  by  11:30  p.  m.,  Baker 
himself,  and  his  whole  school,  forty-five  in 
number,  had  been  cut  down,  leaving  the  re- 
mainder of   Mr.  White's  school   yet  on  the 


floor.     That  was  Baker's  last  school  in  that 
vicinity,  and  he  pulled  out  and  went  west. 

Mr.  White  often  receives  letters  from  his 
many  pupils  scattered  in  various  states, 
eulogizing  him  for  the  good  advice  and 
knowledge  imparted  in  the  old  district 
school.  In  teaching,  Mr.  White  would  first 
appeal  to  his  school  to  learn  that  which 
they  knew  not,  to  pay  little  attention  to 
the  things  already  learned;  to  learn  to-day 
rather  than  to-morrow;  not  to  fear  mis- 
takes, for  by  mistakes  we  know  what  little 
we  do  know;  that  there  was  a  great  de- 
signer before  the  worlds  were  made,  and 
that  all  things  were  made  and  adapted  to 
meet  some  end.  The  hair  grew  upon  the 
head  instead  of  the  feet  as  a  protection; 
that  the  nails  were  on  the  hands  and  feet 
for  the  use  of  the  hands  and  feet,  but  all  for 
the  use  of  the  man.  The  earth  was  made 
for  man,  apparently,  as  he  was  given  do- 
minion over  all  other  animals;  that  man 
could  use  implements,  and  could  reason 
from  cause  to  effect;  that  he  could  and  did 
make  improvements,  and  that  his  life  was 
and  has  been  longer  than  that  of  other 
animals.  As  the  fingers  and  toes  were 
made  for  the  use  of  the  body,  the  same 
kind  of  reasoning  would  teach  that  coal, 
iron,  and  all  minerals  were  made  for  man, 
rather  than  other  animals,  as  they  could  not 
use  such.  The  same  reasoning  applied  to 
steam  and  gasses  of  all  kinds,  hence  the  in- 
ference, "  the  earth  was  made  for  man  by 
an  all-wise  Creator,"  and  that  all  things 
existed  from  a  cause. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1866,  Mr.  White 
married  Miss  Harriet  E.  Kellar,  daughter  of 
Riley  and  Harriet  (Miller)  Kellar.  Her  fa- 
ther was  a  soldier  in  the  Blackhawk  war, 
and  with  his  family  removed  from  Jackson 
county,  Indiana,  to  Neoga  township.  Cum- 


286 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


berland  county,  Illinois,  at  an  early  day. 
When  a  young  man  Mr.  White  engaged  in 
teaching  vocal  music,  continuing  in  the  same 
for  seven  years.  Among  his  pupils  in  the 
singing  school  was  Miss  Kellar,  whose  ac- 
quaintance he  thus  formed.  Their  marriage 
has  been  blessed  with  seven  children.  Mary 
R. ,  the  elder,  is  the  wife  of  G.  W.  Monroe, 
principal  of  a  school  in  Sullivan,  Illinois, 
and  candidate  for  county  superintendent  of 
schools.  They  have  four  children,  Zelma, 
Alora,  Elizabeth  and  Arville.  Mrs.  Monroe 
was  organist  in  the  church  in  Neoga  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  is  an  accomplished 
musician.  John  F. ,  the  son,  married  Lu- 
ella  E.  Pierce,  a  beautiful  and  cultured 
lady  of  Bloomington,  and  they  have  one 
daughter,  Beatrice.  He  now  has  the  man- 
agement of,  and  owns  most  of  his  father's 
gate  factory  and  is  a  capable  business  man, 
popular  in  both  commercial  and  social  cir- 
cles. Fair  Eleander  possesses  exceptional 
ability  as  an  artist  and  is  very  proficient  in 
both  instrumental  and  vocal  music.  Mar- 
tha E.  is  the  wife  of  J.  B.  Spaulding,  a 
prominent  surgeon  of  Clinton,  Illinois,  and 
they  have  one  daughter,  Lucille.  Delilah 
is  the  wife  of  R.  M.  Hall,  the  well  known 
city  editor  of  the  Bloomington  Leader.  She, 
too,  possesses  considerable  musical  abil- 
ity, as  does  the  next  daughter  of  the  family, 
Bessie  Lee,  who  is  attending  school.  G. 
C. ,  a  bright  boy  of  thirteen  years,  com- 
pletes the  family  and  is  well  versed  in  liter- 
ary knowledge,  natural  history  and  lan- 
guages, and  very  oratorical  indeed  for  one 
of  his  age. 

For  many  years  Mr.  White  has  been  a 
most  active  and  influential  member  in  the 
Christian  church,  and  contributes  liberally 
to  those  interests  tending  to  advance  the 
moral  and  intellectual  welfare  of   the  com- 


munity. Temperance  and  educational  work 
find  in  him  a  friend  and  he  withholds  his 
co-operation  from  no  movement  for  the  gen- 
eral good.  He  possesses  an  excellent  mem- 
ory, is  a  fine  speaker,  holding  the  attention 
of  his  auditors  by  that  intangible  quality 
known  as  personal  magnetism,  as  well  as 
by  the  clearness  and  logic  of  his  thoughts, 
often  taking  for  subject — astronomy.  His 
home,  a  beautiful  residence,  erected  at  a 
cost  of  thirty-seven  thousand  dollars,  stands 
at  the  corner  of  East  and  Locust  streets, 
and  is  a  monument  to  the  enterprise  and 
ability  of  the  owner.  In  manner  he  is  most 
quiet  and  unassuming,  entirely  approach- 
able to  all,  and  refusing  no  one  the  courtesy 
of  an  interview.  He  is,  in  the  truest  sense 
of  the  term,  a  self-made  man  and  is  always 
glad  of  an  opportunity  to  aid  one  along  the 
stony  path  which  he  has  trod.  His  life  is  a 
splendid  illustration  of  what  may  be  ac- 
complished in  this  free  land  by  young  men 
of  industry,  resolution  and  ambition.  He 
has  enjoyed  triumphs  in  his  business  career, 
but  in  private  life  has  gained  that  warm  per- 
sonal regard  which  arises  from  true  nobility 
of  character,  deference  for  the  opinions  of 
others,  kindliness  and  geniality.  Such  is 
the  life  history  of  one  of  the  most  honored 
and  esteemed  citizens  of  Bloomington. 


PETER  GRATZ,  deceased,  was  for  a 
number  of  years  a  prominent  and  suc- 
cessful business  man  of  Bloomington,  con- 
ducting the  leading  custom  tailoring  estab- 
lishment in  the  city.  He  was  born  in 
Prussia,  Germany,  March  31.  1839,  a  son 
of  Peter  Gratz,  who  brought  his  family  to 
America  in  1854  and  located  at  North  Ver- 
non, Indiana,  where  he  purchased  land  and 
engaged    in    agricultural    pursuits  until   his 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


287 


death.  Our  subject  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  land,  and  as  his 
parents  wanted  him  either  to  enter  the 
priesthood  or  learn  a  trade,  he  chose  the 
latter  and  commenced  learning  tailoring 
before  the  emigration  of  the  family  to  the 
United  States.  He  completed  his  appren- 
ticeship in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  he  con- 
tinued to  work  as  a  journeyman  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  civil  war. 

Prompted  by  love  of  his  adopted  country, 
Mr.  Gratz  enlisted  in  the  Ninth  Ohio  Vol- 
unteer Infantry  on  the  first  call  for  seventy- 
five  thousand  men  to  assist  in  putting  down 
the  rebellion,  but  being  taken  sick  he  was 
soon  afterward  discharged.  Later  he  joined 
the  home  guards  and  went  to  the  front  after 
his  marriage.  On  the  4th  of  November, 
1862,  he  wedded  Miss  Katherine  Metz,  who 
was  born  and  reared  in  Hamilton,  Ohio. 
Her  parents,  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Cook) 
Metz,  were  natives  of  Germany  and  early 
settlers  of  Hamilton.  The  mother  lived  to 
the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 
Having